John Swinney arrived to cheering activists in Glenrothes at the weekend as he set out his back to basics message to voters for the general election.
Mr Swinney claimed he’d united his party in the two weeks since he became first minister and SNP leader and was now ready to face the country.
“It’s as simple as ABC: austerity, Brexit and the cost of living,” he said, setting out his key message to voters.
“That’s what the Conservatives have given us. I’m offering the unite the country on an agenda to tackle that.”
Campaigning alongside Glenrothes and Mid Fife candidate John Beare, the first minister told The Courier he would relentlessly focus on the concerns of the public.
He added: “I’m offering to unite the country on an agenda to tackle austerity, Brexit and the cost of living.
“I want to be utterly focussed on the concerns of the public. That’s what I’m bringing in my leadership to the Scottish Government and the leadership I bring to the country.
“When you take that ABC, these are all decisions from Westminster, the product of decisions by the UK Government.
“If we want to do something we have to have the power to address that. Voting SNP is the way to tackle the ABC of problems Westminster has inflicted upon us.”
Meanwhile, Mr Swinney has been caught up in a backlash at his decision to defend SNP colleague Michael Matheson’s behaviour. Mr Matheson had tried to bill the public for his massive iPad roaming bill, run up while his parliamentary device was used to watch football while on a family holiday.
John Beare, a veteran SNP councillor in the town, is hoping to secure Glenrothes for the nationalists again as Peter Grant, the current MP, retires from parliament.
The seat is likely to prove a bellwether for the SNP’s support nationally.
After winning a majority of over 11,000 in 2019, insiders agree it would be a disastrous election for the SNP to lose out to Labour’s candidate in Glenrothes, Richard Baker.
John Swinney: Labour will prolong austerity
But Labour remain hopeful as they receive a positive reaction from voters and eye a recent poll by YouGov suggesting the SNP could be wiped out in Fife.
Mr Swinney insisted voters looking to oppose the “problems” inflicted on Scotland should stick with the SNP.
He said Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour would “prolong the austerity agenda of the Conservatives”.
He added: “On Brexit, it’s very obvious the damage it is doing, but Labour want to do nothing else about it.
“They’ve just turned their back on an option to enable young people to have free movement between the European Union and the UK. It’s utterly foolish.
“That’s why people need to vote SNP so we have MPs like John Beare who can set out Scotland’s agenda at the heart of Westminster.”
Labour candidate Mr Baker said: “John Swinney’s visit to Glenrothes and Mid Fife so early in their campaign shows how worried they are about losing this seat.
“This is because it is the SNP who have failed local people on NHS waiting lists, affordable housing, and access to dentists.”
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