Neil Findlay will call for “a return to real Labour values” as he launches his formal campaign to be Scottish Labour leader today.

Speaking ahead of a rally in the Miners Welfare club in his home town of Fauldhouse, Findlay told the Morning Star: “The values of community, solidarity, fairness and justice are the values I was taught and had instilled in me by my parents and by the people I met growing up in this great community.”

Findlay said he was “no career politician” but promised to deliver for ordinary people.

“I know what it’s like to be a construction worker, a student, a housing worker and a teacher, I know the problems people face because I’ve lived them.”

The Lothian MSP outlined his policy platform for Labour to attack the SNP from the left.

“Labour must put tackling poverty, tackling health and wealth inequality at the heart of all we do.

“It is shameful that families in our country cannot afford to feed their children or heat their homes and have to rely on foodbanks.

“A national strategy to end poverty in Scotland will be at the heart of our 2016 manifesto when I am Labour leader.”

Mr Findlay will also set out how Labour could “end the housing crisis by embarking on a national house building programme — to build council houses and other social housing — that will provide homes and create employment.”

He made his pitch as rival Sarah Boyack launched her leadership bid at a meeting in Edinburgh yesterday with a call for Labour to be “radical and bold” in tackling the funding crises faced by local government and the NHS.

“Vital services cannot possibly be adequately provided at the quality needed if cash available to councils keeps going down in real terms,” she said.

“But making the council tax fairer won’t be enough — we need to be more radical.”

Mr Findlay’s campaign was boosted yesterday by a supporting nomination from one of the largest constituency parties in Scotland, Glasgow Kelvin, which also voted to support Katy Clark for deputy leadership.

Both already have the backing of unions Unite, Unison, Ucatt, Aslef, BFAWU and TSSA.