The SNP is committed to supporting Scotland’s linguistic and cultural diversity. If re-elected, we will promote, protect and celebrate the Scots language.
Education is a crucial aspect of protecting new and young Scots speakers. This is why, over the course of its leadership, the SNP Scottish Government successfully launched and implemented the Education Scotland Action Plan which aims to raise awareness among the wider community, provide online support for learners, and support local authorities in ensuring continuity of Scots language policy across Scotland.
In the 2021 Manifesto, the SNP have again committed to supporting Scotland’s languages as it recognises them as an integral part of Scotland’s culture and heritage.
If the SNP is re-elected, we will have a particular focus on arresting the intensifying language shift in the remaining vernacular communities. Gaelic Medium Education (GME) is a key driver for ensuring that Gaelic continues to thrive and grow in both urban and rural areas.
In addition, the SNP will bring forward a new Scottish Languages Bill which takes further steps to support Gaelic and which will legislate to support the Scots language and to recognise that Scotland is a multilingual society.
The SNP is the only party in Scotland to have committed to supporting the Scots language in every single election manifesto since the Scottish Parliament reconvened in 1999. We will continue to raise the profile of Scots as an integral part of Scotland’s culture and heritage.
Fiona Hyslop