More of the same from tired SNP

This week, John Swinney set out his new programme for government explaining his priorities for the following 12 months before next year's critical Holyrood elections.

- BY WEST SCOTLAND MSP RUSSELL FINDLAY

But the flimsy and depressing document is just more of the same from the tired, dishonest and secretive SNP.

His programme is a tired rehash of previous promises that the SNP have already broken.

It was such a dull occasion that around one in three SNP MSPs couldn't even be bothered to turn up to the Scottish Parliament to hear Swinney’s big launch.

It’s not bold or ambitious.

It's not a plan for a stronger Scotland.

It is classic SNP spin which treats hard-working Scots as mugs and drags us down a path to a weaker Scotland.

In the programme for government, the SNP say they're abandoning what they describe as “high-stakes exams”.

What they mean is that they will lower standards in schools and call it ‘progress’.

Lowering the bar is not the way to help pupils.