HUMZA Yousaf will pledge an extra £300 million for the NHS to cut waiting lists as he makes his first leader’s speech to SNP conference today.
The First Minister will also set out that the party will now have a focus on the “why” rather than the “how” of independence, following the decision taken by delegates on strategy.
In the speech on the final day of conference in Aberdeen, he will outline how the economy will be put at the front and centre of the campaign to persuade people to vote Yes, saying it is about “building a better Scotland”.
Yousaf is expected to 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.”
Yousaf is also expected to announce that in each of the next three years, the Scottish Government will provide an extra £100m to improve NHS inpatient and day-case waiting lists, and reduce the total number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.
It is anticipated this will to reduce waiting lists in Scotland by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026.
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 £100m 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.”
