THE SNP has created a powerful new committee to co-ordinate, cost and defend the policies which the party will carry into the hotly-contested hustings for the Scottish Parliament next spring.
The policy priority review group, already attracting the nickname the Star Chamber, has just six members and has been charged with ensuring that the party's manifesto commitments are fully-costed and capable of delivery by the devolved Parliament.
A sub-committee of the SNP Cabinet, its convener is Nicola Sturgeon, the party's vice-convener for publicity. The others on it are John Swinney (Treasury), Alex Neil (energy), George Reid (constitution), Councillor Kenny Gibson (local government), and party chief executive Michael Russell.
''The size of the group will give it a focus,'' said Ms Sturgeon. ''It will act as a clearing house for policies formulated elsewhere and will also have a proactive role in identifying and driving forward new policies.
''It is an indication that we are determined to have a radical programme to put before the new Parliament and that anything we come up with is costed and capable of delivery by that Parliament.
''If you look at all the efforts of Labour lately, all they are interested in are strategies to 'dish the Nats,' whereas we are interested in coming up with genuine policies that will appeal to the people.''
The creation of the group is a sign of the party's determination to shake off the accusation that they are a single-issue pressure group or that they plan to play a destructive role at Holyrood.
Mr Russell said party office-bearers had spent the winter honing their policies and one of the jobs of the new group would be to identify which of these could be delivered by a devolved Parliament and which would have to await full independence.
He said John Swinney and Alex Neil would have a vital role in prioritising these policies and rigorously costing those that would go forward for approval for going into the manifesto.
''We have always said we want to make the devolved Parliament work,'' said Mr Russell. ''The party has fought for more than 60 years for a Scottish Parliament and it is inconceivable for us not to want to make it work.''
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