GE15: 16 Days To Go

The Scottish Liberal Democrats will launch their manifesto in Edinburgh today with big commitments expected on health and education.

Leader Willie Rennie will set out plans to deliver a 'decade of opportunity' and is expected to say that voters can choose a responsible plan to build a stronger economy and a fairer society where there is opportunity for everyone.

Speaking in advance of the launch, Mr Rennie said: “Liberal Democrats are driven by our ambition of creating opportunity for all.

“Our prospectus to the people of Scotland is proudly Liberal Democrat. Standing on the record of progress in government and vision of the future.

“In just five years we have got the economy back on track and done so fairly.  We are now closer to our ambition of creating opportunity for everyone.  But with wins for the Liberal Democrat in this election we can make it a decade of opportunity.

“With Liberal Democrats we can create opportunity for children by investing in education especially in the early years.

“With Liberal Democrats we can create opportunity for everyone by investing £800million in our NHS and bring mental health care to the fore.

“With Liberal Democrats we can create opportunity for workers by creating even more jobs and cutting their taxes too.

 “With Liberal Democrats we can create opportunity for Scotland by delivering more powers to the Scottish Parliament.

 “These are Liberal Democrat ambitions because they build a stronger economy and a fairer society, in a stronger Scotland.

“It is a positive offer to create a decade of opportunity for everyone in our country.”

Elsewhere on the general election campaign trail, Labour's Jim Murphy will say that the priority in the general election should be rebuilding the NHS, not rerunning the independence referendum.

Speaking ahead of a street rally in Glasgow, Mr Murphy said: "Scotland needs to rebuild our NHS, not re-run the referendum. The SNP promised to rule out a referendum for a generation and they've reneged on that pledge. Labour has pledged to invest in the NHS and we will keep that promise.

“Under the SNP we have seen a crisis in our A&E wards. Patients are forced to sleep on trolleys, to bring their own pillows to hospitals, and have to wait for treatment in portakabins.

“Scotland is facing a GP ticking time bomb, with hundreds of family doctors approaching the end of their careers and practices struggling to fill vacancies right now.

“Supporting our NHS should be our national priority, not a second referendum and the years of debate and division that would mean.

“Our NHS needs more investment, not more austerity. Scottish Labour would deliver £1 billion of investment in our NHS through fair, UK-wide taxes like the Mansion Tax and by closing tax loopholes.

“We’ll use that funding for policies like 1,000 more nurses for our NHS, and 500 more GPs.

“Scottish Labour will redistribute from London millionaires to hospitals in Scotland. No matter what they say, the SNP can’t support our plan, because they want to cut Scotland off from taxes raised elsewhere in the UK.

“The reality of SNP plans for full fiscal autonomy would be the end of the Barnett formula and £40.5 billion of cuts by the end of the decade. Our NHS would face austerity rather than the extra investment it needs from a UK Labour Government.

"Only Labour is big enough and strong enough across the UK to get the Tories out. Labour is the only party on the ballot offering a real alternative to austerity that can protect our NHS.”

Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson will meet with young apprentices in Peterhead.

Ms Davidson and and local Scottish Conservative candidate for Banff and Buchan, Alex Johnstone will also visit the Score Group PLC.

The company repairs and supplies services for the UK oil and gas industry.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon will tell the STUC Congress that a strong team of SNP MPs at Westminster will always stand up for Scottish workers.

Speaking ahead of her speech, Ms Sturgeon said that the SNP manifesto, published yesterday, outlines further commitments to Scotland’s workforce, including a commitment to increase the minimum wage to £8.70 by 2020.

Commenting, Ms Sturgeon said: “Hard working people have been let down by Westminster – with the cost of living rising as the harsh cuts agenda takes its toll.

“We need a new, progressive approach to tackle inequality, boosting pay for our lowest paid workers and helping close the gap between rich and poor.

“The SNP manifesto sets out a clear package of measures to stand up for working people. With both Labour and the Tories signed up to £30 billion further austerity cuts, it is clear the Westminster parties are determined to stick to their failed cuts agenda.

“In contrast, our proposal for a modest public spending increase of 0.5 per cent offers the opportunity to invest in our vital public services, boost the economy and create jobs.

“A strong team of SNP MPs will be a force for progressive change at Westminster, building alliances with others of like mind across the UK. In doing so, we will ensure that the voices of our hardest working and lowest paid people are heard more loudly than they ever have been before at Westminster.”