Anas Sarwar is vowing to show Scots “what change looks like” within the first 100 days of a Labour government, if he wins next week’s Holyrood election.
The Scottish Labour leader is setting out his plans for the first 100, should his party be successful in ousting John Swinney’s SNP from power on May 7.
A week out from polling day, Mr Sarwar appealed to voters to give him five years in power to “fix the mess” he said was caused by almost 20 years of the SNP in power.
A Scottish Labour government would declare a waiting times emergency within its first 100 days – with Mr Sarwar adding plans would also be drawn up to ensure patients are treated wherever there is capacity.
If the conflict in the Gulf continues, he is also promising a £100 million of emergency support to help with the cost of living – with this including proposals to bring down the price of petrol and diesel at the pump and support for businesses.
In addition, Scottish Labour would transfer the first £70 million into a new fund for councils to repair potholes on the roads, ban mobile phones in Scotland’s classrooms and end the SNP’s “ideological” ban on new nuclear power stations.
Labour also says it would create a new ending homelessness unit in the first 100 days, to start work to end rough-sleeping, create a Scottish Treasury in a bid to boost government efficiency and cut waste, and work with CalMac and others to prevent a “summer ferry crisis” from hitting Scotland’s islands.
Speaking seven days out from polling day, Mr Sarwar said: “We have all seen the mess John Swinney and the SNP have made over those 20 years.
“Our NHS is struggling, family budgets are under pressure, our roads are crumbling, and too many people feel our country is stuck.
“The SNP has had 20 years and Scotland has paid the price.”
However, Mr Sarwar added: “My message to voters is simple: you’ve given the SNP 20 years, give me five.
“Give me five years to fix the mess, get the basics right and build a better future for Scotland.
“And, in our first 100 days, we will show exactly what change looks like.
“That means emergency action to cut waiting times and save our NHS; practical help with the cost of living; action to fix the roads; support to tackle homelessness; steps to get our economy moving; and a government that respects taxpayers’ money instead of wasting it.
“And, if this international instability continues, we will not sit back and let Scottish families and businesses pay the price. We will act with £100 million of emergency support in our first 100 days.”
SNP leader Mr Swinney has already said he will be “hitting the ground running” if he wins the election.
As First Minister, I will take urgent action to support people - with a £2 bus fare cap, cutting the cost of essential foods, and bringing down electricity bills with the fresh start of independence.
— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) April 29, 2026
The SNP wants to lower your bills, other parties are trying to stop us. pic.twitter.com/ZuNQmf8reZ
In proposals outlined on Monday, he set out how action would be taken towards an independence referendum within 100 days – along with plans to introduce a price cap for some essential food items.
The SNP also proposes to open five new walk-in GP clinics within 100 days, as well as rolling out a £2 cap on bus fares to some parts of Scotland, while up to 2,000 first-time home buyers could get up to £10,000 of help to get on the property ladder with the planned first homes fund.
George Adam, SNP candidate for Paisley, said: “We don’t need this flimsy document to know what a Labour government would be like – we can see it every day that Keir Starmer is in office.
“The reality is that Labour are asking people to vote for an opposition to stop things from happening – the SNP are asking for people to vote for a government that will get things done.
“The SNP want to bring down people’s bills – and the other parties want to stop us. We will bring down the cost of people’s commute with a £2 bus fare cap, introduce price caps on essential foods and give families more support with childcare.
“The best way to ensure we can deliver is by electing a majority SNP government – and next week people can vote for an SNP government under the trusted, reliable leadership of John Swinney.”
