A VOTE for Scottish Labour will “give back hope and opportunity” to young people, Anas Sarwar said today as he launched his party’s manifesto in Edinburgh.

The 135-page paper not only sets out Scottish Labour’s pitch to win around voters in July, but sets out the stall for the 2026 Holyrood election, where the party hopes to recover from its record low in 2021.

Manifesto promises include a pay rise for over 200,000 workers when Labour adopts the real living wage, including for 40,000 young workers, and eliminates what it calls “discriminatory” age bands introduced with the national living wage by the Blair government.

Mr Sarwar said: “This election is an opportunity to deliver change for everyone in Scotland right now, but this election is also about the next generation of Scots and the future we build for them, giving them back hope and opportunity.

“Opportunities for their own future so that every young Scot can fill their true potential; and hope for Scotland’s future.

“The manifesto we have published today of course reflects much of what the UK Labour manifesto outlined last week.

“But we know change for Scotland is a two-stage process, it begins in just 17 days when we can finally get rid of this lying, corrupt, incompetent Tory government — but that is just the start.

“In 2026, we need a change of direction at Holyrood as much as we need one at Westminster today.

“The SNP has failed the people of Scotland — breaking our NHS, ruining our once world-leading education system, and tarnishing our politics by wasting and misusing your money.

“This election is a key moment in our nation’s history — the choice is more of the same or change with Labour.”