"After 18 years of failure John Swinney is now desperately trying to clear up the mess his government has made," says Findlay.

The Scottish Tory leader says the SNP constantly make "big pledges about the NHS but always fail patients".

He adds: "The SNP never keep their word."

Image source, Getty Images

First Minister John Swinney pledged the NHS Scotland would deliver an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries over the next year in a bid to end the 08:00 "lottery".

The SNP leader made the announcement as he unveiled his administration's Programme for Government 12 months ahead of the Holyrood election in May 2026.

As well as putting the NHS "at the heart" of the legislative and policy agenda, Swinney announced his government would permanently ban peak rail fares and end an alcohol ban on ScotRail trains.

The BMA union, which represents Scotland's doctors, said it did not believe the extra 100,000 appointments promised in GP surgeries would end the 08:00 rush to book an appointment.

Read more here.

John Swinney hits back saying his Programme for Government set out the steps his government is taking to expand capacity within the health service to meet the demand for appointments with GPs.

The first minister explains the 100,000 additional appointments through GPs looking at high risk factors.

He also stresses this will be combined with expansion of the Pharmacy First service

Russell Findlay gets to his feet to begin FMQs and says the Programme for Government promised to deliver 100,000 more GP appointments.

However the Scottish Tory leader says Public Health Scotland said there were 500,000 fewer GP appointments than in the year before John Swinney became first minister.

He also quotes BMA Scotland who said the pledge was the equivalent of one extra day of appointments.

"The SNP's Programme for Government is a pathetic con."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton cites a radio broadcast from King George VI on VE day 80 years ago, in which he said: “Let us make the world such a world that they would have desired for their children and ours”.

He says the country must “rededicate itself to that promise of peace” for generations to come.

Greens co-leader Lorna Slater says those who stood against the “tyranny of fascism,” ensured “freedom peace and democracy”.

She says fascism is reappearing across the world and people must support “democracy, justice and human rights for all”.

Labour leader Anas Sarwar says Scotland and the UK will remember those who gave everything in the fight against fascism, calling it “the greatest tyranny we have ever faced”.

He says remembrance must also “inspire responsibility,” for people to stand up to hatred and division and build a fairer and more compassionate country “just as that generation hoped we would”.

Russell Findlay gets to his feet to pay his tribute.

The Scottish Conservative leader reminds the chamber that tens of thousands of Scots were killed in the Second World War.

"Today Victory in Europe Day we remember them."

The first minister refers to his uncle Thomas Hunter, killed in Italy protecting his comrades 35 days before the end of the war.

Swinney adds: "The lessons and the suffering of the Second World War must be remembered today.

"Together we give thanks".

The first minister begins his remarks saying Scotland pays tribute to our second world war generation.

John Swinney says: "They gave of themselves so that we could enjoy freedom today."

Today is, of course, the 80th anniversary of VE Day - the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

A two-minute silence will be held across the UK at midday and the MSPs at Holyrood will observe this too.

There will also be a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey.

In Scotland, special events include a street party for veterans at the Erskine nursing home and a commemoration by the Gordon Highlanders in Aberdeen.

You can follow VE Day events and celebrations here.

What can we expect from FMQs?published at 11:51 British Summer Time 8 May

11:51 BST 8 May

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Today’s FMQs comes off the back of John Swinney’s Programme for Government speech on Tuesday and the one-year-to-go countdown to the election on Wednesday.

So it might be tempting to see today as a clash of pre-election rhetoric with parties building their platforms.

But in all honesty we’ve had about six months of those sessions already. The shapes of the campaigns are already crystal clear; the slogans have long been nailed down.

So it might end up being more of a day to drill into the detail of the pledges outlined by Mr Swinney.

A couple of different medical unions have already raised questions about his big policy of boosting the number of GP appointments.

And opposition leaders want to make the election into a referendum on the SNP’s record in office, so they will be very keen to pick away Mr Swinney’s offering.

This is the first FMQs since John Swinney published his programme for government on Monday.

In it he said NHS Scotland would deliver an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries over the next year in a bid to end the 08:00 "lottery".

As well as putting the NHS "at the heart" of the legislative and policy agenda, Swinney announced his government would permanently ban peak rail fares and end an alcohol ban on ScotRail trains.

On Tuesday, when it was exactly one year until voters go the polls in the Holyrood election, all the political parties hosted a series of events to mark the countdown.

And on Wednesday the UK's largest oil and gas producer, Harbour Energy, said it expects to cut a further 250 jobs in Aberdeen.

This morning we learned the contract to run Scotland's west coast ferry services in future has been directly awarded to the existing publicly-owned operator CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Image source, PA Media

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of First Minister's Questions.

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