Labour and the Conservatives have upped their campaign to be the second party at Holyrood after the election next Thursday.

Both parties have been campaigning to urge people to vote for them on the second ‘list’ vote.

As they both expect the SNP to win the vast majority of constituency seats they are looking to maximise the potential of getting as many MSPs on the regional list vote as possible.

Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour Leader unveiled his new look election bus which now promotes voting Labour on the peach ballot paper.

While the Conservatives leader Douglas Ross was arguing more Tories voted in through the list would help stop an SNP majority.

The message on the Labour bus is “Use your second vote for Anas Sarwar’s Labour” with a picture of a peach ballot paper with a vote for Scottish Labour.

Sarwar said: “For the next six days, I will be travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, taking Labour’s message of hope and unity to every community and saying that we can choose to focus on what unites us not what divides us.

“If, like me, you believe we can work together to build a fairer and stronger Scotland than went into lockdown last year, vote for it using your second, peach, ballot paper for Scottish Labour.”

Douglas Ross

He said: “We cannot give strength to the SNP’s argument that Scotland wants another independence referendum.

“If we want the UK to continue then we need to vote for it.

“The only way to stop a second independence referendum is to using your party list vote on the peach ballot paper for the Scottish Conservatives.”

Meanwhile the SNP is urging its supporters to use both ballot papers to vote SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon is today outlining what she plans to do in the first 100 days if she is re-elected as First Minister.

She has said the SNP would be focused on steering Scotland through the pandemic and afterwards would seek to hold a referendum on independence

The plans include offering a Covid vaccine to every adult by the end of July, or earlier if supplies allow and delivering an NHS pay rise within the first 100 days.

She said the SNP would open new fast track cancer centres by the end of May and begin the work for a National Care Service and take the first steps to remove NHS dental charges.

Sturgeon said: “Every vote in this election can make a difference - and my message to voters across Scotland is not to sleepwalk into another decade of Tory and Labour austerity.

“Next Thursday, I’m asking people to help keep Scotland safe, by giving both votes to the SNP to elect an experienced government to provide the serious leadership the country needs - and protect Scotland’s NHS.”

The Scottish Greens are also looking to win MSPs through the 2nd party regional list vote.

Patrick Harvie, co leader visited the Glasgow University Environmental Sustainability Team in the Kelvin constituency where he is a candidate to promote their plans for a Green economic recovery..

Harvie said: “Scotland has less than a decade to save ourselves from environmental catastrophe - the climate emergency has not stopped whilst we deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

“But as we emerge from the Covid crisis, Scotland and Glasgow have an opportunity to create a more just society which puts sustainability at its core. The Scottish Greens have a very clear vision, setting out the positive opportunities for Scotland if we invest in a truly Green recovery from COVID-19 which is fair and equitable, leaving no-one behind.

“As we rebuild our economy, we have the opportunity to build a new Scotland, focused on proving everyone with what is essential for a good life whilst living in a society that respects planetary boundaries.

“Urgent action on the climate emergency can and should transform our economy, create jobs and improve lives.”