Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar launches his party's manifesto ahead of the Holyrood election, urging voters to give him "five years to fix the SNP mess"
He pledged that as Scotland's first minister he would cut waiting times; guarantee GP appointments within 48 hours and introduce new screening services "to catch cancer early and save lives"
The six larger parties in Scotland have been campaigning ahead of the election on 7 May
Party leaders are back on the campaign trail after last night's BBC Scotland Debate Night special, where they faced off on Scottish independence, the NHS, immigration and energy
No-one left the debate feeling like they had blown it, but there were also no moments that felt like election game changers, writes BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell
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Anas Sarwar speaks at the Labour manifesto launch
Edited by Mary McCool
Scottish Greens co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer visited a nursery earlier
Away from the Labour manifesto launch, other parties have been hitting the campaign trail.
Scottish Greens co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer visited a nursery in Linlithgow this morning.
If elected on 7 May, they say they would raise the school starting age to seven and introduce a play-based kindergarten stage for three to six-year-olds.
Mackay told BBC Scotland News: "We believe education doesn’t just happen behind a desk."
Jamie McIvor
Scotland news correspondent
Devolution in 1999 moved power from Westminster to Holyrood. But since then some have argued local communities across Scotland have lost power too with, they contend, power being centralised by stealth in Edinburgh.
It boils down to whether councils are subservient to Holyrood or an independent tier of government.
So can power shift meaningfully away from Edinburgh?
Labour promises to push power out of Edinburgh and consult on whether there should be regional mayors.
In the most densely populated parts of Scotland – including Glasgow and the surrounding area – there is certainly an argument that many issues affect the wider region and not just individual local authorities.
But what actual powers would a mayor have? Or would this just be another layer of government? The devil would be in the detail.
Labour also proposes trying to give councils more certainty over their finances. Some councils are unhappy with the formula used to distribute Scottish government cash and each year councils have to wait until the Scottish Budget to find out much they'll get.
Again though what really matters most is just how much money councils have overall. Exactly what does "fair finding" for local services mean beyond the soundbites?
However the proposed £350m pothole fund – if implemented – could certainly help councils deal with one of the most common local concerns.
Change was the main message of the manifesto launch
Anas Sarwar promised to "fix" Scotland if his party gained a majority
Deputy leader Jackie Baillie warmed up the crowd before Sarwar revealed his party's manifesto pledges
Pledges include fixing the NHS, creating new apprenticeships and filling potholes
David Henderson
Scotland news correspondent
Scottish Labour is promising 125,000 new homes during the next parliament – a big increase on what we've seen recently.
They say this will boost the economy and create a fairer Scotland.
During this last parliament, around 100,000 new homes will have been built in Scotland.
But the delivery of affordable homes has been well behind target.
In 2024/25 there were more new-builds than in other parts of the UK, compared to our population size.
But the total number of new homes has fallen steadily in recent years.
So Labour think this pledge will appeal to renters and home-owners alike.
But hitting this target could be challenging – and it means an overhaul of the planning system to "unlock land" and a presumption in favour of what they call "sustainable development".
What is promised means house-builders would have to do much more.
And there's a big question mark whether UK economic conditions, with relatively high interest rates, construction labour shortages, and the current oil price shock would allow it – regardless of planning reforms.
David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent
Anas Sarwar has taken questions from a few sceptical journalists who don’t think he has a route to becoming first minister.
He gets the biggest cheer of the morning from the crowd of activists when he tells the assorted journalists: “I look forward to proving you wrong”.
The party has now published its manifesto online.
You can read it here., externalDavid Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent
Anas Sarwar is pressed on Keir Starmer and the UK Labour’s government record.
He stresses that he sees this as a vote about the record of the SNP Government in Scotland.
But of course there’s an awkward elephant in this manifesto launch room – it’s just a couple of months since and Sarwar called onKeir Starmer to step down, criticising the job he was doing as PM.
Tom Gordon from the Daily Mail questions the financial section of Labour's manifesto, which says the figures are predicated on existing Scottish budget and spending review, which predates the conflict in the Middle East.
The political journalist suggests costs and inflation will rise and asks why Sarwar has put forward a spending programme that is already "dead on arrival".
Sarwar says he has set out emergency measures that Labour will take and hopes the war ends before 7 May.
He says if war and instability continues, he will deliver an emergency package worth at least £100m that will give support to energy-intensive businesses to protect jobs.
This will include bulk buying petrol, giving grants and loans to families and driving down the cost of staple items in supermarkets.
Sarwar is asked why people should vote for him if they feel let down by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
He replies that the election is not about "a party that has been in power for two years", but the SNP who have been in power for 20 years and "have taken us backwards" in every policy area in Scotland.
He is also asked if the 2,000 extra specialist teacher will be new recruits or re-trained existing teachers, and he is also asked to name three quangos.
Sarwar confirms it will be new additional teachers, and refers to a "cluttered enterprise agency landscape" and lists regional enterprise agency examples.
Scottish Labour would create a centralised "super agency" that recognises regional priorities, he says.
The next question comes from Dan Sanderson from The Times, who asks Sarwar if the manifesto is fully costed and where this can be found.
Sanderson questions whether the Scottish Labour leader is serious about becoming the next first minister with so many costs pledged.
Sarwar says he is serious and the party has produced the most ambitious manifesto.
He says there is a section in the manifesto that sets out spending commitments and identifies a growth figure.
He says the numbers add up and Labour will demonstrate that in government.
By Phil Sim, BBC Scotland political correspondent
Scottish Labour has set a goal of seeing 125,000 houses built in Scotland over the next Holyrood term.
This covers all categories across the public and private sector and works out as 25,000 houses in each year of the parliament.
Is this a realistic target?
House building has fallen, with 17,336 new homes completed in 2025 – down 13% on the previous year – and 14,999 homes started – down 6%.
Industry body Homes for Scotland says, external this is part of a “sustained downward trend”, which is being exacerbated by “a chronic shortage of effective housing land”.
The group said completions could fall to 5,000 per year by 2031 unless urgent action is taken to reform the planning system and address what it calls the “land supply crisis”.
These kind of reforms might require changes to the law, which would take time to pass and then to implement.
So any party making big promises about house building may have their work cut out when it comes to delivering.
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Sarwar is now fielding questions from the media, with Paul Hutcheon from the Daily Record up first.
The political journalist asks for more detail on plans to lower the tax burden, and targets on taking children out of poverty which he says are "lacking in ambition".
Sarwar says Scottish Labour wants to see more tax cuts if they meet growth targets.
He says the SNP tackle poverty by increasing benefits or adding a quango, while Scottish Labour wants to target "structural poverty" by investing in young people at school and giving them a chance when they leave school.
This includes improving schools, maintaining free university tuition and creating new apprenticeships, he says.David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent
Labour’s manifesto repeats promises to “fix the mess” in various areas of Scottish life – from the NHS to the roads.
It’s a theme that Anas Sarwar is drawing on in his speech.
It’s an attempt to suggest that public services aren’t working, and he’s the man to fix them.
But is there enough detail in their manifesto to convince voters they have a credible plan?
One attention-grabbing point in Sarwar's speech was a £350m potholes fund to restore roads in order to fix five million potholes.
He also promised a named community police officer for every neighbourhood and better public transport, with bus services under public control.
Scottish Labour will end rough sleeping, build 125,000 new homes and help first time buyers with tax cuts, he said.
Sarwar also pledged to end excessive public sector bonuses, and see an end to "the culture of secrecy and cover up we see under John Swinney and the SNP".
Sarwar ends his speech by saying Scottish Labour's manifesto is about hope.
He says he wants to bring the country together and make it better.
It’s not about how you voted in the past. It’s not about whether you have voted Labour before.
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader
Sarwar insists he will work in partnership with businesses to create jobs and deliver growth.
He says he will end the SNP's block on clean nuclear energy, abolish unfair business rates and overhaul planning to speed up decisions and unlock land for new development.
Scottish Labour will also promote Brand Scotland around the world to boost exports and tourism.
Sarwar pledges to be a first minister that "backs all of Scotland's children".
This includes banning phones in the classroom to restore order, and creating free breakfast clubs in every school.
His plans include recruiting 1,500 new classroom assistants and 2,000 specialist teachers to deliver a reading and numeracy recovery for pupils.
Scottish Labour will also create 9,000 new apprenticeships, he says.
The Scottish Labour leader pledges to make Scotland work again and says he will:
Sarwar says we are a country of "talent, compassion, innovation and ambition" and adds we need a government to match that.
He adds if the crisis in Iran continues, he will prioritise protecting households and livelihoods in Scotland by bulk buying fuel and delivering crisis grants and loans.
Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor
The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has placed the NHS at the heart of his policy pitch for the Holyrood elections.
His party’s manifesto includes plans to negotiate a new contract with GPs to tackle the 08:00 rush for appointments, to use spare capacity in the health service to reduce waiting times and to cut administration by reducing the number of health board areas from 14 to three.
Sarwar has promised not to raise income tax for the next five-year term at Holyrood. If conflict in the Middle East continues to cause an energy price shock, he has committed Labour to delivering a £100m support package for Scotland.
Sarwar’s other election pledges include topping up the UK’s tax-free childcare fund from £2,000 to £3,000 per child per year, lifting the Scottish government’s block on new nuclear power and creating a £350m fund to fill potholes.
Labour’s key message is that the choice at this election is between “more of the same” with the SNP under John Swinney’s leadership or “change” with Anas Sarwar as first minister.
Sarwar says he wants to save the NHS so it is there when people need it. His health pledges include:
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