Olaf Stando

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Special Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland @JohnSwinney | Internationalist | Independence campaigner | Rail fan | Hillwalker

[Olaf Stando @OlafSNP]

This is what leadership looks like.

@JohnSwinney in front of an English audience, calmly explaining why Scotland must have the choice over its own future - and why it’s wrong for Westminster parties to deny it.

It’s common sense - met with applause by the York audience. #bbcqt

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 BREAKING: Parliament backed our plans for a private jet tax and a mansion tax.

In a cost of living crisis, it is right that those with the broadest shoulders contribute a bit more - while the majority of taxpayers in Scotland continue to pay less tax than elsewhere in the UK.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

A strong economy is key to everything I want to achieve as First Minister.

We will make our planning system work better, expand apprenticeships and devolve powers to Regional Partnerships, helping to create more jobs.

Good to address the @ProsperScot Annual Forum today.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

50 days until the Commonwealth Games return to Glasgow.

11 days until Scotland face Haiti at the World Cup.

And with our Summer of Sport programme, we are reducing barriers for young people to take part in sports, funding free and low-cost sporting activities across Scotland.

[Scottish Government @scotgov]

We are helping schools create better environments for learning.

Education Secretary @MairiMcAllan visited James Gillespie’s High School to hear about their phone free policy.

Find out more: https://t.co/F4CnScJVHS

[Ken 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺 @outofunion]

GETTING ON WITH THE DAY JOB..

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

Chaired the Cabinet meeting earlier today and it’s a busy week ahead. This is how we are delivering on your priorities. 👇🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

The number of NHS operations is up on the year before, according to latest statistics.

Long waits are down for 11 months in a row, and we exceeded our target of 150,000 extra appointments and procedures.

More to do, but this is good progress. Thank you to our NHS staff. 👏

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

Great to be out in Perthshire North today to hear about the essential
Work taken forward by Perthshire Women’s Aid and to meet staff and students involved in language tuition at EsolPerth. Excellent community ventures.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

Scotland has enormous energy resources that should help lower our bills - but the powers to make these decisions remain at Westminster.

Decisions about Scotland’s energy should be made in Scotland, and last week Parliament endorsed that view.

More in my Record column today 👇

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

All the very best @ScotlandNT. So exciting. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

Well done to @ScotlandNT on a fantastic 4-1 win today. 👏

Really excited to join the Tartan Army for the World Cup. Let’s do this! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

We are working hard to deliver on your priorities. In case you missed it, this week:

🏥 NHS long waits fell for 11th month in a row
🩺 Surpassed the target of 150,000 extra appointments
🏡 First Homes Fund to open by the end of June
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Passed the vote on devolving energy powers

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

We cannot let Westminster off the hook in their attempts to deny Scottish democracy.

It is a fundamental right of people in Scotland to choose their future, and we must have that choice.

[Scottish Government @scotgov]

We are calling on the UK Government to give Scotland full control over its energy.

This will allow Scotland's energy wealth to be used to help Scottish households, communities and businesses.

Watch for more.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

A majority in the Scottish Parliament has just backed our call to devolve energy powers to Scotland.

We can’t afford being tied to the failed policies at Westminster.

Scotland’s energy should work for Scotland - with the powers we need to help bring people’s bills down.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

We are delivering the best cost of living support in the UK, and we will go further by capping bus fares and essential food prices.

But as energy bills rise again, the UK Government must stop dithering and act now. And if they won't, devolve the energy powers so that we can.

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

Labour promised to cut energy bills, but in July they are rising again.

People in energy-rich Scotland should not be paying some of the highest bills in Europe.

Scotland should control its energy - and today we will vote to demand the devolution of energy powers to Holyrood.

[BBC Scotland News @BBCScotlandNews]

Scottish first-time buyers offered up to £10,000 interest-free loan https://t.co/7glw6bqFBt

[John Swinney @JohnSwinney]

We are ensuring more affordable homes are built across Scotland, and we will help more people buy a first home of their own.

Our First Homes Fund will support first-time buyers with £10,000, with applications opening by the end of June.

The SNP will always be on your side. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Scottish Government @scotgov]

We want to help people buy their first home.

First Minister @JohnSwinney explains how first-time buyers in Scotland could get up to £10,000 to help them get on the property ladder.

Watch for more.