I have lost count of the number of times I have been exhorted to fight this election on the basis of policies. I’ve also lost count of the number of times I’ve been told voting SNP will keep a Labour government “in check”, “push Labour left”, and ensure things are delivered “for Scotland”.

The SNP have – finally – launched their manifesto for the 2015 general election and we can compare it to the Scottish Labour manifesto. So let’s take a look at the concrete policies, now they are out, and see if this argument stacks up.

In each case I’ll compare Labour and the SNP, and look at the impact SNP votes might have on the policy of a Labour government.

Labour commitment SNP commitment Impact of SNP on Labour Cut the deficit every year and reach current account surplus by end of parliament Additional borrowing every year and retain deficit past end of parliament More money spent on debt interest rather than public services Increase taxes on wealthiest in first year, meaning immediate increase in public spending Stick to Tory spending plans for first year Bigger cuts in public services Protect spending on health, with additional spending from Mansion Tax Will protect spending, but promises of additional spending are uncosted Risk to increased NHS funding Protect spending on education and international development No commitment to protect these spending areas Risk of cuts in education and overseas aid 50p tax rate for highest earners Same None Ban exploitative zero-hours contracts Ban all zero-hours contracts Remove option from those who prefer flexibility, rather than make work fairer for those forced into zero-hours Make it illegal to undercut wages by exploiting migrant workers No equivalent Risk of continued exploitation of migrant workers Mansion tax to redistribute wealth across the UK from richest to poorest Opposed – mansion tax to only apply within Scotland, raising significantly less money More inequality, less money to spend on essential public services for those who most need them Stop winter fuel payments to richest 5% of pensioners; cut ministerial pay. Opposed Less money to spend on public services for the poorest New 10p starting rate of tax Same None End Marriage Tax Allowance Same None No increase on basic/high income tax, National Insurance or VAT No equivalent Risk of VAT rises or other stealth taxes Tough penalties on tax evasion, close loopholes on unfair avoidance Broadly equivalent None End non-dom status to reduce tax avoidance Same None Long-term investment approach via National Infrastructure Commission No cross-UK investment plans Fewer opportunities for the vital investment Scotland and the rest of the UK needs Improved access to finance for co-operatives and mutuals from the British Investment Bank No equivalent Lack of support for co-ops and mutuals to improve inclusion and best value Tax rebates to Living Wage employers No equivalent Fewer workers benefit from Living Wage Minimum Wage to reach at least £8 per hour Minimum wage to reach £8.70 per hour Higher wages for the lowest paid End fees for employment tribunals Fees to remain Access to justice denied to unfairly treated workers Guarantee the Barnett Formula End the Barnett Formula Catastrophic black hole in Scotland’s finances likely to be around £30-£40bn across this parliament Protect pensions across the UK Protect pensions in Scotland Almost impossible to see how this is compatible with Full Fiscal Autonomy without massive cuts elsewhere Energy price freeze and reform energy market No equivalent Risk of higher energy prices and continued failing market Implement Smith Agreement in full Attempt to hijack Smith Agreement to shoehorn in additional demands Risk that the further devolution agreed by all parties is derailed Continue to pool and share resources across the UK Full fiscal autonomy Less redistribution of wealth. Less money to spend on public services in Scotland. More money for England and Wales. Constitutional convention for the whole UK No equivalent Lack of opportunity for people across rest of UK to participate in constitutional reform Abolish House of Lords and replace with Senate of Nations & Regions Abolish House of Lords, no replacement Further erosion of the unity of the UK Remain in the EU Same None Enable public/non-profit ownership of railways No equivalent Railways continue to siphon public money off into private shareholders’ pockets Ambitious low carbon target for whole of UK Roughly equivalent, though only declared for Scotland None Triple lock against fracking Broadly equivalent opposition to fracking Little difference, though local communities denied final say Votes for 16 and 17 year olds Same None No tuition fees for university students in Scotland Same None £1,600 Future Fund for every 18 & 19 year old not in college, uni or apprenticeship No equivalent Fewer life chances for those who need them most Retain the BBC as a widely respected publicly funded broadcaster for the whole UK Break up the BBC to create separate Scottish version Duplication of spending, less quality TV. Reverse the 2012 Health and Social Care Act Same None Build 200,000 homes a year across the UK Build 100,000 homes a year across the UK Lack of affordable housing LGBT Rights Envoy Similar None Respect Scotland’s democratic decision to remain part of the UK “We will always support independence” Constant grudge and grievance to push for independence Free bus travel for all apprentices No equivalent Fewer opportunities for young people to get into work New £200m Mental Health Fund, new £200m Cancer Fund No clear equivalent Risk that these priority areas do not receive appropriate additional resources Reverse cuts to HE bursaries and restore highest level for poorest students Opposed Less access to further and higher education for the least advantaged Scottish Anti-Poverty Fund to make food banks history No equivalent Less help for those most in need Double paternity leave & increase maternity pay No equivalent Tougher for parents of newborns Scottish Jobs Guarantee paid for by bankers bonus tax No equivalent Less opportunity for work Restore local accountability to Scotland’s policing Continue the centralisation agenda Police Scotland continues to lose public support Fully implement Leveson Same None Strategic Defence Review in 1st year to include Trident No renewal of Trident Given large Commons majority for Trident renewal, SNP anti-Trident policy unlikely to have any effect

I’m sure alert readers will highlight any errors or omissions, but by my reading of the two manifestos, the only positives an SNP vote brings is a promise of a higher minimum wage, and an admirable but almost certainly doomed-to-failure commitment to scrap Trident.

Across numerous other areas, a vote for the SNP rather than Labour will have a negative effect on public spending, health, economic growth, access to education and, fundamentally, on the core aim of Scottish Labour which is to deliver a fairer Scotland.

The argument that a strong group of SNP MPs will help Scotland is blown out of the water. The more votes for the SNP the less likely a Labour government anyway, but as can be seen from this analysis, were a Labour government to be in power reliant on SNP support, it would be disastrous for Scotland.

Scotland needs a Labour majority government in the UK.

A vote for the SNP is a vote against Scotland’s interests.

Duncan Hothersall is the Editor of LabourHame, where this was first published