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Get Scotland Working
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Get Scotland Working

Scottish Conservative 2026 Holyrood manifesto promising tax cuts and economic growth.

Last refreshed: 10 April 2026

Key Question

Can Scottish Conservatives recover after IFS demolished their flagship manifesto?

Timeline for Get Scotland Working

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Common Questions
What is Get Scotland Working and who launched it?
Get Scotland Working is the 2026 Holyrood manifesto of the Scottish Conservative Party, launched by leader Russell Findlay. Its centrepiece is a \u00a3500 annual tax cut for pensioners.Source: IFS analysis and manifesto coverage
Why did the IFS criticise the Scottish Conservative manifesto?
The IFS found that the \u00a3500 pensioner tax cut interacts with the Barnett formula in ways that could reduce Scotland's block grant from Westminster, making the costing implausible without UK-level policy changes outside Holyrood's control.Source: IFS manifesto assessment
What are Scottish Conservative polling numbers for 2026?
Electoral Calculus projected the Scottish Conservatives to hold zero constituency seats in 2026, a historic low for the party at Holyrood.Source: Electoral Calculus MRP

Background

Get Scotland Working is the title of the Scottish Conservative Party's 2026 Holyrood election manifesto, launched by party leader Russell Findlay. Its centrepiece is a £500 annual tax cut for pensioners, positioned as immediate relief for older Scots facing rising living costs. The manifesto also includes economic growth measures and public service reform pledges.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysed the manifesto and found significant costing problems. The pensioner tax cut relies on changes to Scottish income tax thresholds that would interact with the Barnett formula, potentially reducing Scotland's block grant from Westminster. The IFS concluded the numbers did not ADD up without corresponding UK-level policy changes outside Holyrood's control.

The manifesto launched against a backdrop of dire polling for Scottish Conservatives, with Electoral Calculus projecting the party to hold zero constituency seats. The party is defending a already-reduced footprint in the Scottish Parliament and faces a squeeze between the SNP and Labour in the 2026 Holyrood election.