NO government delivers every manifesto pledge as it grapples with the realities of office, especially a minority government of the kind run by the SNP from 2007 to 2011. Here are four key SNP policy pledges which were achieved, and four which weren’t.
Delivered
:: Abolition of fees for Scottish students studying at Scottish universities.
The policy of which Alex Salmond is most proud. MSPs abolished the graduate endowment paid by students in February 2008, nine months after the SNP came to power. The First minister hailed it as his government's "biggest achievement" and a monument featuring his words - "The rocks will melt with the sun before I allow tuition fees to be imposed on Scottish students" - was installed at Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University.
:: 1000 more police officers.
The SNP manifesto of 2007 promised to increase officer numbers by 1,000. Despite opposition scepticism, by June 2009 there were 17,278 officers, up from 16,234 in 2007.
However the pledge, repeated in 2011, was accompanied by controversial cuts to police civilian staff, and the SNP dropped the commitment in its 2016 manifesto for Holyrood.
:: Independence referendum
The SNP’s 2011 manifesto stated: "We think the people of Scotland should decide our nation's future in a democratic referendum and opinion polls suggest that most Scots agree. We will, therefore, bring forward our Referendum Bill in this next Parliament." The party's majority win in that election paved the way for a referendum on 18 September 2014.
:: The council tax freeze.
AN accident that became one of the SNP’s most popular policies. Intended as a temporary stop gap, it evolved into a semi-permanent measure, and in 2011 the party vowed to extend it for another parliament. Criticised for diluting local democracy, it also cost around £3bn in subsidies to councils, and ministers dropped it this year, letting bills rise by up to 3 per cent.
Shelved
:: Replacing the council tax with a local income tax.
The council tax freeze was only meant to last until the SNP met its 2007 pledge to replace the levy with a local income tax based on ability to pay. But the arithmetic never added up in the lean years after the Crash. The idea was dropped in February 2009, but the freeze continued.
:: Axing student debt.
One of the boldest 2007 commitments was “removing the burden of the debt repayments owed to the Student Loans Company by Scottish domiciled and resident graduates". Costed at up to £2bn, it was swiftly dropped. Students now graduate owing over £10,000 on average.
:: Cutting class sizes for P1 to P3 pupils
Another 2007 pledge that didn’t make it was one to cap the number of children in P1-P3 classes at 18. In September 2009, the government set the legal P1 limit at 25.
:: Grants for first-time buyers.
Another eye-catching 2007 commitment was giving first-time buyers a £2,000 grant to help secure a home. Critics said it would fuel house price inflation and it was never implemented.
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