Election update: Greens launch manifesto | The Sun's out for SNP | Goldie's a realist

Published on Tuesday 19 April 2011 11:45

Our round-up of all the stories from the Holyrood election campaign trail, plus the picture of the day and political cartoon.

PIC OF THE DAY: George Galloway will launch his manifesto for the Holyrood election in Glasgow today.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL...

• The Green party will set out its Holyrood manifesto today, pledging to raise 200 million a year by increasing taxes. The party proposes to put 0.5p onto the so-called tartan tax, the Scottish Variable Rate, from 2013.

• Former MP George Galloway will also launch his manifesto today in Hillhead Library, Glasgow. He is the lead candidate in the George Galloway Coalition Against Cuts party.

• The leaders of the four main parties will debate justice issues at the Scottish Police Federation annual conference in Aviemore. SNP leader Alex Salmond, Labour's Iain Gray, Lib Dem Tavish Scott and Annabel Goldie for the Tories will take part in a question-and-answer session with conference delegates.

• Mr Salmond will then be in Bannockburn in the afternoon and Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead is in Edinburgh to set out the SNP's commitment to expanding Scotland's food and drink sector.

• Miss Goldie continues her party's campaign in Aviemore, Keith, Elgin and Forres, while Mr Gray visits Inverness with Highlands and Islands list candidate David Stewart.

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IN THE PAPERS...

The Sun states its support for Salmond

THE Sun newspaper has come out in support of the SNP for the Holyrood election. In a front-page splash titled 'Play it again, Salm', the editorial says that Nationalist leader Alex Salmond "cares passionately about Scotland". The article continues: "He is ambitious for this country and has the drive, the personality and the policies to lead us through these troubled times." (The Sun)

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• The Sun also claims that voting Labour "makes you sick, jobless, badly educated and poor". It bases the claim on the fact that 78 of the 100 most deprived areas in Scotland are constituencies held by the party.

Gray starts 'jobs tour'

IAIN Gray launched a "jobs tour" yesterday to take Labour's key election pledge to areas blighted by unemployment. Campaigning in Dumfries, Mr Gray said: "The numbers on the dole have been going up under the SNP and youth unemployment is getting to crisis levels." (Daily Record)

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Labour insiders fear 'Salmond factor'

WORRIED Labour candidates are becoming increasingly concerned at the direction being taken by their party's campaign. They fear the party lacks a coherent strategy and say the SNP's theme of urging voters to use their regional vote to back Alex Salmond for First Minister is working well. (The Times)

Jail for all knife crimes 'doomed to fail'

LABOUR'S plans to introduce mandatory jail terms for people caught carrying knives have been savaged by rank-and-file police officers. The party has pledged to introduce the sentences if it wins next month's Holyrood election, setting aside 20 million per year in its manifesto to implement the policy. (The Scotsman)

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SNP council leaders defend tax freeze

THE SNP last night rebutted claims that their promise of a five-year council tax freeze could not be delivered in practice. One third of council bosses from across Scotland issued a statement saying that the SNP's manifesto pledge was perfectly feasible and could be implemented by every council that wished to do so. (Daily Express)

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Interview: Goldie refuses to play fantasy politics

ANNABEL Goldie may be the first politician in history to go into an election calling on people to "vote for the old bat" - but the Scottish Tory leader has admitted she does not think she will ever be First Minister. (The Scotsman)

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SNP commits to NHS spending

THE SNP will spend at least 1 billion more on Scotland's NHS if the party wins a second term in power, First Minister Alex Salmond has promised. Mr Salmond also pledged a 30 million package for improving cancer services through early detection, and said that the NHS would remain in public hands. (The Scotsman)

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Lib Dems' local bank plans 'would aid Scots tourism'

REGIONAL development banks would allow money to reach more local businesses and boost Scottish tourism, the Lib Dems have claimed.

Creating the banks is one of the party's key election pledges ahead of the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May. (The Scotsman)

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IN BRIEF

• Annabel Goldie will pledge not to back a budget that does not maintain the 1,000 extra police officers put on to Scottish streets. The Scottish Conservatives leader was due to make the promise to the annual conference of the Scottish Police Federation today.

• Almost 700,000 people over the age of 50 in Scotland are undecided about who they will vote for, according to a survey by Age Scotland.

TODAY'S CARTOON

By Iain Green

• All the latest news, comment and analysis

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