ARE HER CLAIMED VICTORIES ACCURATE?

Progressive Income Tax

For the upcoming tax year, a Scottish citizen earning £50k will pay £1,550 more than the rest of the UK.

Scottish Child Payment

Sturgeon says this has lifted children out of poverty. But one in four Scottish children were in relative poverty between 2019 and 2022.

The Baby Box

Over 250,000 of these have been given out. Not means-tested. A nice perk, but a universal benefit many parents don’t need.

Closing

Attainment Gap Not true. The gap is still widest in the poorest areas.

Education

In primary schools, literacy was lower in 2021/22 (70.5 per cent) than it was in 2018/19 (72.3 per cent) and 2017/18 (71.4 per cent).

Abolishing prescription charges for all

Another benefit for the better off. Many can afford to pay for their own medicine.

Minimum unit alcohol pricing

Has encouraged some to stop drinking but has made others switch to cheaper, stronger booze.

UK’S top A&E departments

In March 2020, 89.2 per cent of patients were seen within four hours. By January 2023, this had toppled to 68.7 per cent.

Drug deaths

Her government is still saddled with the worst drug death record in Europe. 2021 represented the second-highest drug death toll for Scotland ever.

Free bus travel

For those under 22, it’s a good way to get to a job interview, as long as there are some...