Here you can follow my campaign to be re-elected and keep up to date with my news by signing up for email updates. You can also send me any questions you have about SNP policy or local issues.

Up to 18,000 householders can now receive as much as £400 towards the cost of a new boiler.

Nicola commented: “In an energy-rich country like Scotland, fuel poverty is unacceptable. This investment is an important part of tackling the problem.

“It comes on top of existing investment in the Energy Assistance Package and Boiler Scrappage Scheme and will help in the fight against fuel poverty.

“The Boiler Scrappage Scheme has been a great success, helping to deliver new boilers to 12,000 households over the past year.  I’m very pleased that this further commitment will bring warmer homes and lower heating bills to thousands more homes in Scotland.”

Bringing together a range of people from different political parties (and none), the Yes campaign is for everyone who wants an independent Scotland.

It will be a community-led campaign, involving ordinary people, grassroots activists and independence ambassadors the length and breadth of Scotland. What unites them is a common cause and a shared purpose in seeing our country make the progress it needs to in order to make the most of our potential and allow all of our citizens a better, fairer future.

And the one basic truth which all of those campaigning for a Yes vote all agree on is that the people best placed to make decisions on Scotland’s future are those who care most about Scotland – and that is all the people who live here. Independence means the people of Scotland will be responsible for their own future. And because we have the greatest stake in the country and its future, we – all of us – are best placed to make it more successful and a better place to live.

You can find out more about the Yes campaign and volunteer to be a part of it here

Commenting on the news that 60 leading medical professionals have called on the UK Coalition Government to drop their damaging NHS reforms, Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The public, patients and practitioners can be very clear that these reforms will not apply in Scotland.  Scotland’s National Health Service is independent and, as long as there is an SNP Government, it will be run in the interests of patients not profit.

“Privatisation may be the Tory way but it is not our way. I know how highly Scots value our NHS and under the SNP it will be protected.”

The funding was announced by Public Health Minister Michael Matheson on a visit to the Pollok Carers Centre.

The money will help The Princess Royal Trust and Glasgow South East and Glasgow South West Carers Centres to offer information and advice, help with benefits, one-to-one counselling and emotional support to carers, as well as giving them the chance to meet other people in the same position and providing services for young carers.

Nicola commented: “I know what a fantastic job these three Centres do. This funding will help support a variety of excellent initiatives to identify and support carers so that they can receive support. The contribution made by carers and young carers to Scotland is enormous. That’s why I am pleased to see the Scottish Government support very  worthwhile initiatives of this kind.”

Mr Salmond will receive the Royal Warrant signed by the Queen before taking the official oath of allegiance in front of a panel of judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh tomorrow to confirm him as First Minister.  

Nicola commented: “The Scottish people have shown that they want our country to move on, to have the economic levers to prosper and create more opportunities for our young people.

“Working together we can and will build a better and more successful Scotland.”

Nicola said: ” I want to thank the voters of Glasgow Southside for the trust they have placed in me.

“Many of them were constituents in my former Govan constituency and voted for me four years ago.

“Many others voted for me for the first time yesterday.

“I promise to work just as hard for people in the new areas of my constituency like Govanhill, Gorbals and Toryglen as I have worked for the constituents I have represented for the past four years.

“This election has proved that not only can we win in Glasgow but we can hold seats in Glasgow as well.

It is a triumph for positivity over negativity.  Now the hard work begins.”

GLASGOW SOUTHSIDE ELECTION RESULT

• Stephen Curran (Lab) 7,957 (35.2%)
• Kenneth Elder (Lib Dem) 612 (2.7%)
• David Meikle (Tory) 1,733 (7.6%)
• Nicola Sturgeon (SNP) 12,306 (54.4%)

Elaine C  Smith – who played “Mary Doll” in Rab C Nesbitt – was given a very friendly and warm reception from local people as she helped Nicola and Chris hand out leaflets and chat to voters.

Elaine commented: “Nicola has been great for Govan – and she’ll be great for Southside. The SNP has stood by their word and kept council tax bills down for families across the country.  On May 5^th it has to be a vote for Nicola Sturgeon in Glasgow Southside, for Alex Salmond as First Minister - and for a council tax freeze across Scotland.”

Nicola commented: “These statistics show that the SNP Government was right to  support jobs and stimulate investment by deferring last year’s UK-imposed spending cuts to protect recovery. The Tory-Lib Dem economic policies coming from Westminster are wrong-headed and are damaging to Scotland.

“Falling unemployment is welcome but there is much more to do.  Scotland needs much better job creating powers.  Re-electing the SNP Government is the key to securing them so we can build on the positive work the Scottish Governmenthas done to strengthen the economy, boost employment, and bring unemployment down.”

The manifesto includes a pledge to freeze the council tax until 2016.

Other highlights include:

• Keeping an extra 1000 police on the beat to further reduce crime, and take more money from criminals to give back to the communities they have damaged.
• 100,000 training places each year – including 25,000 apprenticeships – and a campaign for new job-creating powers for the Scottish Parliament.
• A new target to generate 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
• Opposing tuition fees.
• Protecing funding for the NHS, allowing  faster and better treatment, including the earlier detection and treatment of cancer. 
• Investment in early years education and a new school building programme. 
• Continuing the small business bonus that has abolished business rates for thousands of small businesses. 
• Balancing the budget by continuing to make the savings in government to pay for our policies.

You can read the SNP manifesto in full at the SNP’s dedicated campaign website.