Scottish Labour Announces Manifesto Pledges for Health, Education and Taxation Ahead of Holyrood Election

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has announced the party's manifesto pledges ahead of the Holyrood election on 7 May. The plans focus on health, education and taxation. Sarwar spoke at an event in Edinburgh to present these proposals.

This includes negotiating a new contract with GPs to increase available appointments and using spare capacity in the NHS to shorten waits. The number of long waits over a year for hospital appointments or procedures in Scotland has been falling since July.

Health System Reforms Scottish Labour plans to reduce the number of health board areas from 14 to three to cut administration.

The manifesto includes establishing a new emergency mental health response service and placing mental health support workers in GP practices. Sarwar stated that fixing the NHS is personal for him as a former dentist. The party proposes introducing an NHS app, AI scanners in hospitals and new screening programmes to improve treatment and early diagnosis.

He noted that the SNP has been in power for nearly two decades.

Broader Policy Commitments On education, Scottish Labour pledges breakfast clubs in every primary school, a ban on mobile phones in classrooms, 2,000 education recovery teachers and 1,500 more classroom assistants.

The party also commits to 9,000 new apprenticeships and no income tax rises in the next five years. Additional pledges include top-up tax-free childcare to £3,000 per child and funding for two weeks of summer holiday clubs. For housing and infrastructure, the manifesto calls for building 125,000 homes, overhauling planning to speed up decisions and eradicating homelessness and rough sleeping.

Scottish Labour plans a £350m fund to repair up to 5m potholes and the construction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link. The party also pledges community police officers for every neighbourhood and better train and bus services. On energy and taxation, Scottish Labour proposes lifting a block on new nuclear power and replacing the business rates system with a local business levy.

If energy prices rise due to the war in Iran, the party would provide a £100m emergency support package, including loans for energy-intensive industries, bulk buying fuel and crisis grants for households. Sarwar said the party would arrange an emergency summit of supermarkets to address prices of staple items.

The manifesto includes cutting government waste, reducing arms-length public bodies and providing fair funding for local communities.

Sarwar told reporters he looks forward to the election on 7 May. The pledges aim to make life more affordable, support jobs and businesses, and focus government on key priorities.