by Niall Christie

Scotland editor

SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar pledged today to freeze taxes and prioritise the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis as he unveiled the party’s manifesto for next month’s Holyrood election. 

Mr Sarwar set out his party’s “route map back to stronger and better times” for Scotland following the coronavirus crisis with “five distinct recovery plans” covering jobs, the NHS, education, the climate and communities.

However, the party’s manifesto makes no mention of the Trident nuclear weapons. Despite this, Mr Sarwar, when asked, claimed that he wanted to rid the world of nukes and would “consider” any attempts through devolved powers to remove them from Scotland. 

He also faced questions over whether he was a “hypocrite” for sending his own children to private school while calling for reform to private school funding, accepting it as “fair criticism.”

Under a Labour government, Scots would not pay any more in income tax, with Mr Sarwar pledging that everyone earning under £100,000 would not be asked to pay more towards the national recovery. 

Mr Sarwar also reiterated that he did not support the holding of a referendum on Scottish independence.

The SNP had earlier accused Mr Sarwar of being “out of step” with trade unions following the STUC’s commitment to self-determination at this week’s congress. 

He said: “I want to work with you, my fellow Scots, so we can come through this crisis and build a stronger, fairer, more equal, more just and greener Scotland together.

“That’s why this recovery plan’s focus is on a jobs recovery, an NHS recovery, an education recovery, a communities recovery and a climate recovery.”