Ukip attempts to woo Scottish voters with higher drink drive limits, airgun ban repeal, and smoking in pubs

'The smoking ban has had a disastrous effect on sections of the Scottish economy and society'

Ukip leader Nigel Farage at the B&B club in Edinburgh where he launched Ukip's Scottish Parliament election manifesto (PA)

Ukip has launched its Scottish manifesto in an effort to woo voters with pledges to raise the drink-driving limit, reintroduce smoking in pubs and clubs, and repeal airgun legislation for people wishing to take up target shooting.

Unveiling the 32-page manifesto Nigel Farage proclaimed that Ukip are the “independence party in Scotland” and urged Scots to vote for the 26 candidates his party are fielding in the regional list on 5 May.

As he laid out the 'Shake up Holyrood' manifesto in Edinburgh, the party leader said he was now aiming to "make a breakthrough into the Scottish Parliament, get some people elected who are not content to go along with the PC flow, who are happy to provide a voice of opposition, who are unafraid to stand up and be controversial by going against the direction the mainstream is currently going in".

He also said the party would introduce an intermediate 30p tax rate for those earning between £45,300 and £55,000.

But besides the traditional Ukip commitments – leaving the “bankrupt, sclerotic, undemocratic” European Union and reducing the “endless influx” of immigration – there are also a number of unusual proposals.

In a section called “saving the Scottish pub”, the party will reintroduce smoking in pubs and clubs to enable “smokers to enjoy their pint” by introducing “properly ventilated” smoking rooms.

It adds: “The smoking ban has had a disastrous effect on sections of the Scottish economy and society. It has led to an increase in smoking at home and in front of children and a reduction in people meeting face to face adversely affecting society in a negative manner.”

Ukip will also push the drink driving limit up to 80mg per 100ml of blood – the same level as other parts of the UK – as having a “varied limit makes no sense and 80mg is low enough to deter reckless behaviour.” They did not, however, cite any scientific evidence.

Airguns are also an important tool for pest control and provide and affordable sport for people wanting to take up target shooting, the manifesto declares. So, Ukip will repeal the Air Weapons and Licensing Scotland Bill, introduced last year, and replace it with “less draconian legislation.”

“The level of crime involving airguns is low compared to other forms of crime and does not justify a licensing system”, they add.

Another one of the party’s give-aways involves pushing every local authority in Scotland to offer at least half an hour free parking in city and town centres, high streets and shopping parades.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage at the B&B club in Edinburgh where he launched Ukip's Scottish Parliament election manifesto (PA)

“Indoctrination of young minds is wrong”, the party adds, so they will review the curriculum “to ensure that is producing the future workforce Scotland needs”. A specific Act will ban political propaganda being passed off as fact.

Mr Farage also used the oppurtunity in Edinburgh to criticise the SNP, saying: "I couldn't look at myself in the shaving mirror and call myself a nationalist if I wanted Scotland to be governed from Brussels, it doesn't make any sense."

He insisted: "There is only one independence party in British politics, there is only one independence party in Scottish politics. What we are fighting for is to get some voices in Holyrood.

"Ironically we are the only party fighting for Scotland to have more devolved issues, because it is only by leaving the European Union that Holyrood will take control of Scottish fishing and Scottish agriculture, being perhaps the first two clearest examples.

"So we are the independence party in Scotland. If you believe in an independent United Kingdom where Scotland has growing autonomous powers, if you believe in the independence of the individual from an over-wieldy state, then put people like Coburn in Holyrood."