When he makes his first annual conference address on Tuesday the SNP Leader, Humza Yousaf, will confirm that the SNP will “concentrate not on the how – but on the why” of independence, and put the economy front and centre of the campaign.
On Sunday the SNP agreed that they will regard winning a majority of Westminster’s Scottish seats as a mandate for independence.
He is also expected to announce that in each of the next three years, The Scottish Government will invest an extra £100 million to improve NHS inpatient and day-case waiting lists, and reduce the total number of patients who “have waited too long for treatment”.
This will aim to reduce waiting lists in Scotland by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026.
The SNP leader will say: “Around of half of our fellow Scots already support independence.
“I have no doubt that we can turn that half into a sustained majority.
“We will do so when we concentrate not on the how – but on the why.
“At the next election, page one line one of our manifesto will say “vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country.”
“And that’s because independence is about building a better Scotland.
“It’s about raising living standards. It’s about protecting our NHS. Above all, it’s about a stronger economy. An economy that works for everyone who lives here.”
He will add: “Post-pandemic, we are working hard to reduce NHS waiting times – and we have seen a significant reduction in the longest waits since targets were announced last July.
“I am announcing today that in each of the next three years we will invest an extra £100 million to cut waiting lists.
“This additional funding will enable us to maximise capacity, build greater resilience in the system and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.
“That will reduce waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026.”
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