Nicola Sturgeon: We can be optimistic that better times do lie ahead

I want to recognise and pay tribute to the efforts so many people have gone to, even in the face of a global pandemic, to ensure that our democratic process took place, and took place safely.

I was proud that, at this election, foreign nationals and refugees also had the right to vote for the very first time – a tangible symbol of the inclusive country Scotland strives to be. We now have a Parliament which looks more like the country it represents, with more women, more members of minority ethnic communities, the first women of colour and the first permanent wheelchair user all elected as MSPs.

It goes without saying that wherever you are from, whatever age you are, whatever your background, and no matter who you voted for – the SNP in government is dedicated to working hard for you. However, the events at Kenmure Street in my constituency last week reminded us once again that Scotland is on a different path to Westminster when it comes to how we treat people seeking safety from persecution, poverty and war. Those who chose to stand against the forced removal of their neighbours made me proud to represent a constituency and lead a country that welcomes and shows support to asylum seekers and refugees.

The Home Office’s appalling asylum and immigration policies, and the hostile environment for migrants created by the Tories, are simply not welcome here. Scotland has a long history of welcoming people from all over the world into our communities to rebuild their lives, and I want to ensure that remains the case.

At this election the SNP set out a bold, energetic and inclusive agenda to get Scotland through and out of the pandemic, to secure a strong recovery and to take on the longer term challenges the pandemic has shone such a spotlight on. Those challenges are wide-ranging – from tackling child poverty, remobilising our NHS, securing jobs and opportunities for our young people, taking action to tackle the climate emergency and ensuring that everyone has a warm, safe place to live.

During the election campaign, the SNP published a plan for the first 100 days of a new government. That plan will now be delivered at pace by the new Cabinet secretaries and ministers appointed to the Scottish Government last week. Among many other initiatives, it will prioritise completing the vaccination programme as quickly as possible; implementing a pay rise for NHS workers; continuing the remobilisation of the NHS; supporting small businesses; and helping young people into jobs.

We’ll also take urgent action to support children, families and young people – completing the roll-out of 1140 hours of free childcare, expanding free school meals, paying the first instalment of the expanded £1 billion Scottish Attainment Fund and introducing the legal changes to extend free bus travel to everyone under 22 years old. And we’ll start work on longer term challenges, establishing a new Council for Economic Transformation, taking the first steps toward establishing a National Care Service and beginning work on a Minimum Income Guarantee.

Since the election, I have been back at my desk, consulting on our next steps as we gradually hope to return the country to something much more like normality. As First Minister, my immediate and overriding task will be to do everything I can to keep people as safe as possible. I said tackling the pandemic must come first and I meant it. I will continue to work every single day to make the best decisions possible for the health and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland.

Some Covid restrictions have, of course, eased now because of the incredible sacrifices of people across our country and the magnificent success of the vaccination programme. However, despite the real and positive progress we have made, the Covid-19 crisis is not over.

The situation in Glasgow – which unfortunately remains in Level 3 restrictions for now – reminds us of that. The virus still poses a real danger that we must take seriously, and tough decisions still lie ahead.

There is no doubt that we are heading firmly in the right direction, but with new variants emerging, we cannot afford to take our foot off the brake too quickly as the current situation in Glasgow shows us. And it continues to be vitally important that everyone remains vigilant and sticks to the rules. It is also vital that we all take up the opportunity to get both doses of the vaccine when that opportunity arrives. It is how we best protect ourselves and each other. I know these restrictions are difficult, but I hope they won’t be in place for much longer.

Thanks to the people of Scotland who have given up so much to tackle the pandemic, the incredible work of our NHS, and the progress of the vaccination programme, we can be optimistic that better times do lie ahead.