Swinney’s ‘first 100 days’ plan trashed by critics – Daily Business

John Swinney: we get things done (pic: DB Media Services)

John Swinney will today unveil his plans for the first 100 days of a new SNP government with his flagship policies already being trashed by experts as unworkable.

The SNP leader will tell a rally in Glasgow that his party is the only one “setting out a serious plan for government” and is expected to focus on health, energy and the cost of living.

However, Dr Iain Morrison, chair of the BMA Scottish GP Committee, said Mr Swinney’s GP walk-in centres will be “exposed as being completely unaffordable”, while the Scottish Retail Consortium has dubbed his plan for a price cap on essential food items as a “potty gimmick”.

Dr Morrison said: “Walk-in centres become an incredibly inefficient way to deliver healthcare if you don’t have continuity.”

Fergus Ewing, a former SNP food minister, described the food price cap on items such as milk and bread as “half baked”, and warned it could break competition law.

“Price controls have been tried and failed,” said Mr Ewing. “Take my advice: scrap the cap. If you want to help the public, work with business, don’t order them about.”

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, which says government could help lower prices by cutting business costs, said: “This is a powerful intervention from the former food minister.”

Mr Swinney is likely to repeat his call for energy powers to be transferred to Westminster and has promised to cut electricity bills by a third.

He told Daily Business last week that he would achieve this by reforming the gas market, an objective that has eluded the UK government.

He is also promising a “fresh start with independence”, though even independence supporters are questioning how he hopes to deliver, given that Labour has ruled out a granting another referendum or other means to split up the UK.

The First Minister is expected to tell supporters in Glasgow: “During this campaign, the SNP is the only party setting out a serious programme for government. 

“Every other party has spent the campaign talking about themselves, about each other and talking about the SNP.  

“But they never talk about you – the people of Scotland.  They are asking you to vote for an opposition to stop things happening.

“I am asking you to vote for a SNP government to get things done.”

His opponents, however, say there is a long list of previous policy pledges that have not been fulfilled. These include a failure to hit targets on health, education and housing as well as tackling drug abuse.

Mr Swinney has spoken about a new approach to business rates and growing the economy, but has provided little detail beyond promising more consultation.

#Swinneys #days #plan #trashed #critics #Daily #Business