What the SNP are trying to talk about as Hamilton campaigning comes to an end

FOR a party that only really emerged onto the UK electoral map less than a year ago, it’s fair to say Reform UK have stolen a lot of headlines in the run up to the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.

Whether it’s their “blatantly racist” advert falsely claiming Anas Sarwar would “prioritise the Pakistani community”, or their attacks on the Scottish media, Nigel Farage’s party has nabbed the spotlight.

But this is a seat that the SNP have held since it was created in 2011. The late Christina McKelvie won elections in the area three times on the trot, with a majority of more than 4500 last time, in 2021.

Despite what SNP candidate Katy Loudon brands the “heat and noise” of Reform, her party remain favourites. So, what do they want to talk about?

Bringing back Winter Fuel Payment

Loudon says she has heard scores of constituents raise concerns about Labour’s cut to the Winter Fuel Payment – the first significant move the new UK Government made after the General Election.

More than 10 million pensioners lost out on payments worth up to £300 last year.

But the SNP Scottish Government has announced it will be bringing back a universal payment for pensioners by St Andrew’s Day this year.

The new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will replace the Westminster scheme and will see those on pension credit receive a payment of between £200 and £300 based on age. Crucially, other pensioner households – who are not eligible for the UK Winter Fuel Payment anymore – will still get £100.

Loudon told The National: “So many people in this constituency, who maybe last summer thought they’d give Labour a chance, feel extremely let down.

“So this is a key policy for us because it’s about getting money back in people’s pockets.”

The Scottish Child Payment

The SNP say another benefit created by the Scottish Government continues to be a key point of conversation.

The Scottish Child Payment gives eligible families a weekly payment of £27.15 for every child who is under 16.

A study by the London School of Economics and Political Science this year said that if the Labour UK Government was to introduce such a policy, it could cut child poverty by a sixth.

(Image: Colin Mearns) Loudon (above) said: “I’ve spoken to numerous charities and organisations across the last few weeks about what’s the best thing we can do to support families, what’s the best thing we can do to raise children in poverty, and it’s cash directly to them, to give them that boost.

“So, policies like that [the Scottish Child Payment] are already making a difference in this constituency, will continue to make a difference, and it’s the SNP who are delivering them.”

Loudon has indicated increasing the Scottish Child Payment is a “conversation we need to have”, adding it has been a “transformative piece of legislation”.

The policy stands in stark contrast to the Labour UK Government’s decision to keep the two-child cap,  which has been described as the single biggest driver of child poverty in the UK by several charities. Loudon branded it "cruel and horrible". 

The Scottish Government has also announced plans to scrap the two-child cap by April next year. The Child Poverty Action Group estimate this could lift 15,000 children in Scotland out of poverty. 

Action and delivery

The word “delivery” is one we’ve heard Loudon mention again and again this campaign, and she believes it is key to set the SNP apart from the “heat and noise” of Reform.

It’s well-known the SNP have not been without their own problems in recent years and performance in Government has been far from perfect, but unlike Reform they do have a record of action they can shout about, and with the UK Labour Government in the doldrums with the public, speaking about mitigating against their cruellest policies will surely stand them in good stead.

“The most important thing for me this by-election has been to get out and speak to as many people as we can and we’re doing that because we have a message of hope to deliver to people and we have a message about delivery,” Loudon told The National.

SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney and SNP candidate Katy Loudon with two-year-old Grace Ure during a visit to Juniors Charity in Hamilton (Image: Jane Barlow) “I think we’re the only party in this by-election in the midst of all the heat and noise who are actually able to say we are going out and are able to speak about what we’re going to do.

“There’s been a distinct lack of that from Labour but particularly Reform in terms of the television debate that took place on Monday evening. We did not get any straight answers.

“I think we heard something about a manifesto maybe with some policies at some point next year – that’s not good enough. People want to hear about action and delivery.”