Gordon Brown has blasted the SNP’s record in government, telling voters Nicola Sturgeon’s party “will never solve” problems in the health service or close the attainment gap.
The former Labour prime minister, speaking at a drive-in rally of supporters in Glasgow, said the first duty of the next Scottish Government was “not a referendum but the recovery”.
Mr Brown pointed to what he described as failings of the SNP in employment, healthcare and education as reasons to vote for Scottish Labour, whom polls predict will still be in third place come next week.
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He told supporters: “If the SNP could not solve the health problem, the waiting list problem, the mental health problem, the social care problem in any one of the 14 years in government, they will never solve the problem now.
“That’s why they should give way to the Labour Party, who can do it.”
He added: “It’s not just a health crisis, it’s the education crisis.”
The former Labour leader said inequality in Scottish education has been rising during the SNP’s term in office.
Ms Sturgeon and her ministers have pointed to improvements in some areas when it comes to the attainment gap, but an Audit Scotland report published in March found the gap remains wide, despite some progress being made.
‘Make way for the Labour Party’
Mr Brown added: “Every indicator that should be going up is going down and every indicator that should be going down is going up.”
He reiterated: “If they can’t solve the education problem in 14 years in government, make way for the Labour Party, who can.”
Addressing child poverty, Mr Brown said: “Poverty is not just a scandal – for children it is a crime.”
Mr Brown’s attack on the SNP continued as he said Nicola Sturgeon’s party “go to bed at night dreaming of separation, we go to bed at night dreaming of social justice”.