Senior British politicians, including Sturgeon, have said that if Britain votes to leave the European Union in the June referendum on that issue, but Scots show they want to stay, this could provide a trigger for a second Scottish secessionist drive.
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Sturgeon’s SNP now holds 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats in the British Parliament, and is polling strongly ahead of the May 5 vote for the 129-seat Scottish Parliament, where the SNP holds 64 seats.
“Her positivity and confidence that we will get what we want eventually is just great”, said Lorraine Alexander, a 57-year-old SNP campaigner, decked out in the party’s yellow T-shirt.
Ms Sturgeon insisted her party is not complacent and she pledged to “work tirelessly to make the case for a re-elected SNP government” .
The attainment fund, which the Scottish Government is piloting in seven local authority areas, will be extended to all parts of Scotland.
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Our pledge at this election is simply that people here should not have to pay higher taxes than those elsewhere in the UK”. Referring to the 2014 referendum, he said: “I think it is important that a referendum is legal and properly constituted and that is what we had, and it was decisive, so I do not see the need for another one”.
She said this “vital investment to help save lives and keep families together for longer ” .
The announcement echoes predecessor Alex Salmond’s so-called “National Conversation” which cost taxpayers nearly £500,000 but the new drive will be funded by party rather than government coffers.
“This shows again why having a strong, pro-UK opposition in Holyrood is so critical to Scotland’s constitutional future”.
Yesterdays’ gathering in Glasgow was attended by 3,000 people with many SNP supporters clamouring for a second referendum.
Nicola Sturgeon will promise the basic rate of income tax will not be increased in Scotland if she is returned as first minister.
She also announced that free lunches – which are already available to P1-P3 primary pupils – will be expanded to nursery children as hours rise from 16 hours per week to 30 over the next parliament.
From April 2017, Holyrood will be able to set the rates and bands of income tax for the first time. This will increase to £600 and £300 payments for each subsequent child will be restored through new grants.
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More details on how the party would use the new income tax powers coming to Holyrood will be revealed after the UK Budget but Ms Sturgeon will use her speech to set out some “key principles ” .
