SNP to oppose Westminster CAP reform plans

Introducing his party’s election manifesto today (Tuesday, April 20), SNP leader Alex Salmond stressed they were ‘challenging times’, but his party was a ‘real alternative to the discredited Westminster system’.

“We will provide a strong voice for our fishing and agriculture sectors, holding the UK Government to account while they represent these economically important industries in Europe,” says the manifesto.

It mentions initiatives such as the Pack Inquiry, which are designed to maximise the impact of Government support in Scotland’s farming community, and says the party will work with the industry to deliver a package that bests suits Scotland’s needs.

It says Scotland has ‘huge strengths and enormous potential’ and that must be translated into greater prosperity and opportunity for hard-working families and individuals in communities across Scotland’s rural areas.

In the months ahead the SNP will be taking forward the £1.5 billion rural development programme investment, with millions more invested in rural businesses and local economies across Scotland.

It says Scotland’s rural communities and economy have specific needs and the SNP is working hard for rural interests.

Among the issues raised in the manifesto are fuel prices and green energy. The party says there should be a fair fuel regulator so, when oil prices increase, motorists are not doubly punished with soaring taxes and prices at the pumps, and the UK should also adopt the same sort of tax derogation on fuel sold here and remote communities, as exists elsewhere in the EU.

It says SNP MPs will be demanding the release of the Fossil Fuel Levy money so it can be used to deliver £200 million new investment in renewables. The party will also work to remove obstacles to further investment in wave, tidal and wind generation in Scotland by ending the discriminatory transmission charging regime.

The manifesto also promises the party will work in partnership with its allies in Plaid Cymru to secure important gains for the people of the two countries as set out in the 4Wales, 4 Scotland agreement. “We will not enter any form of coalition agreement with the London parties,” it adds.

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