Scottish election 2021: Covid recovery will take years warns Sarwar

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says it is time to focus on what unites us rather than revisiting old arguments

Scotland's recovery from the Covid crisis will take years, Anas Sarwar has warned.

The Scottish Labour leader accused his political rivals of losing sight of the seriousness of the pandemic and the impact it will continue to have on the country beyond this year.

Scottish Labour's manifesto is set to be launched on Thursday.

Mr Sarwar said a "national recovery" should be the "collective focus" for the next Scottish Parliament.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Show, the Scottish Labour leader claimed a "circus around the constitution" would not help Scotland.

He said: "It's going to take years to recover from this crisis, lives and livelihoods are still at risk.

"There are 360,000 of our fellow citizens who are still on furlough, worried about if and when they will have a job to go back to.

"There's a huge backlog in the NHS and our children have missed out nearly a year of education."

SCOTLAND ALERTS: Get extra updates on BBC election coverage

Mr Sarwar, who reiterated his opposition to another independence referendum in the next five years, said these issues "should take priority right now" for both Yes and No voters.

The Scottish Labour leader accused the SNP and Tories of "only wanting to speak to the half of the country that agree with them" on the constitution.

A 'uniting' manifesto

Elsewhere in the campaign, Nicola Sturgeon has insisted the SNP's election manifesto is designed to "unite Scotland" as the country looks to recover from coronavirus.

While the policy proposals set out plans to hold a second vote on Scottish independence by the end of 2023, they also promise free dental treatment, extended childcare and a "green transport revolution" - including giving bikes to youngsters who could not otherwise afford them.

Ms Sturgeon insisted the manifesto was the "most bold and ambitious" the SNP has produced.

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The Scottish Conservatives claim rural Scotland did not prosper under the previous SNP administration

And the Scottish Conservatives have launched the party's rural manifesto.

The party pledged to launch a public consultation on a blueprint to replace the Common Agricultural Policy within 100 days of the election.

Start-up grants for young farmers and new entrants would be re-opened, while an extra £5m a year would be invested in agricultural research and development.

Party leader Douglas Ross said: "Scotland's rural communities have been neglected by the SNP for too long.

"They have been held back by poor infrastructure, diminished services and a lack of clarity for farmers - this must change now."

SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS

What's happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the government. Find out more here.

What powers do they have? MSPs pass laws on aspects of life in Scotland such as health, education and transport - and have some powers over tax and welfare benefits.

Who can vote? Anyone who lives in Scotland, is registered to vote and aged 16 or over on 6 May is eligible. You can register to vote online.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have said all two-year-olds in Scotland should benefit from 1,140 hours of free early years learning - the same amount the Scottish government has already pledged for three and four-year-olds.

The party said it would expand nursery education, making it more flexible and giving parents greater choice.

Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: "Two-year-olds from poorer backgrounds are already entitled to funded childcare. This should help improve their chances, but uptake in Scotland is only half what it is in England.

"The outreach work hasn't been done, meaning many parents don't even know about the entitlement."

World leader

The Scottish Greens have been making the case for an independence referendum, claiming an independent Scotland could lead global efforts in nuclear disarmament.

The party's co-leader Patrick Harvie said a Scotland could play a key role in international efforts to tackle the climate emergency and "lead global efforts in nuclear disarmament".

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