Scottish Labour has published its manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, setting out a wide-ranging list of promises on the NHS, housing, education, transport, policing and the economy ahead of polling day on Thursday 7th May.
The document, titled Scotland Needs Change, is built around what the party calls a plan to “fix the mess, get the basics right and build a better future for Scotland”. It includes a series of measurable pledges, including 125,000 new homes by 2031, 9,000 new apprenticeships, 2,000 education recovery teachers, 1,500 more classroom assistants and a £350 million fund to repair roads and potholes.
On health, Scottish Labour says it would aim to end the 8am rush for GP appointments, bring back the “family doctor”, speed up rollout of an NHS app, invest in AI-enabled scanners and cut waiting times by using NHS capacity wherever it is available. The party also says it would deliver £15 an hour for care workers, create a new emergency mental health response service and reduce the number of NHS boards.
The manifesto also puts a strong focus on schools and childcare. Scottish Labour says it would introduce breakfast clubs in all primary schools, fund two weeks of summer holiday clubs, increase tax-free childcare to £3,000 per child, ban mobile phones in classrooms and recruit more classroom assistants. It also says it would launch an education recovery programme with up to 2,000 specialist teachers to support children who have fallen behind.
On housing, the party says it would deliver 125,000 new homes by the end of the next Parliament, including more than 50,000 affordable homes, and create a dedicated Housing Bank to direct investment into building. It also says it would reduce the tax paid by first-time buyers by increasing the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax relief threshold to £200,000, saving some buyers up to £1,100.
In the economy section, Scottish Labour says it would remove what it describes as the block on new nuclear energy, replace business rates, overhaul the planning system, create a single industrial strategy and direct at least £220 million a year into government-backed business loans. It says its economic proposals have the potential to increase Scottish GDP by between 2.1 and 2.4 per cent over five years.
Transport is another major part of the manifesto. Scottish Labour says it would deliver the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, set aside up to £2 billion for rail infrastructure and faster intercity travel, support bus franchising, and establish a £350 million potholes and road maintenance fund.
On crime and policing, the party says it would give every neighbourhood a named community and crime prevention officer, return more officers to frontline policing, create a specialist victims’ support team and take tougher action on antisocial behaviour, shoplifting, illegal bikes and violence against women and girls.
The manifesto also includes plans to cut the number of quangos by at least a third, introduce a right to recall MSPs, create a Scottish Treasury, tighten lobbying and second jobs rules, and publish government files linked to recent scandals.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says the election is a choice between “more of the same” under the SNP or change under Labour. The party is using the manifesto to make the case that it can offer a different direction for Scotland after nearly two decades of SNP government.
The Scottish Parliament election takes place on Thursday 7th May, with parties continuing to publish their manifestos in the run-up to the vote.