Plan for shake up of first years of school for more playtime

It wants formal education delayed by two years and a focus on play instead.

The manifesto states schools should be: "Focusing on play-based learning until the age of 7 so children acquire important learning and social skills before formal schooling starts, starting this longer statutory Early Years Phase as a series of voluntary pilots."

The Glasgow Times reported on the Scottish Greens proposal to delay primary school until age 7.

The Lib Dems launched their manifesto and leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said a “grown-up” approach to politics is needed to ensure the country is well served.

He said people “want their politicians from any party to be able to roll up their sleeves when necessary, put aside their differences and work in the interests of the people of Scotland.

“That is the grown-up approach to politics that Liberal Democrats always embrace.”

Cole Hamilton said he would rather resign as party leader than vote in Holyrood for John Swinney to remain as First Minister but would work in a “grown-up “ way with the SNP on annual budgets.

He said: “For all of the questions that Scotland currently faces, the answer to none of them is a third decade of SNP administration.

“They’ve had their time, and look at the state of our economy, our NHS, our schools, our justice system – it’s time that they had a period of quiet reflection on the opposition benches.”

Cole-Hamilton launched its manifesto for the election, which included pledges on tax, education and health.

On tax, it said it wanted to cut the amount people pay in income tax through raising thresholds.

It states it will: “Support fair taxation to fund the public services we all rely on, recognising the cost of living crisis, and the impact tax rises have on individuals and businesses.

“It means where funds are available, our priorities will be to lift tax thresholds in line with inflation and begin to close the tax differential with England in a balanced way that protects public services.”

On health, the party is targeting cancer survival rates.

It wants to: “Boost cancer survival rates by rolling out a national lung cancer screening programme capable of saving hundreds of lives every year.

“Replacing ageing equipment, including radiotherapy machines and increase their number, reducing long journeys for treatment.

“Creating a world-leading cancer research environment.”

On education, it wants to recruit 2,000 new pupil support assistants “to give more in-class support to children who need it”.

On housing, the Libdems want to “Re-establish social renting as a long-term option, working in partnership with registered social landlords and housing associations, and providing grant rate certainty over multi-year periods so that they can plan, recruit and build with confidence.”

Cole Hamilton, added: “Household bills are soaring. There are long waits to see your GP. The ferries fiasco is a national embarrassment and Scottish education just isn’t what it used to be.

“We know you feel let down by the other parties. The Scottish Liberal Democrats believe Scotland deserves better than this. But it needs to be change with fairness
at its heart.”

The Lib Dems are targeting 10 constituency seats, but they are also urging voters to back them on the regional list.

Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “Let me be straight with you. You have two votes.

“In many constituencies we are on the verge of winning against the SNP, but wherever you are, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart.”

The 10 target seats include the already held constituencies of Edinburgh North Western, Fife North East, Orkney, and Shetland, along with Edinburgh Northern; Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch; Argyll and Bute; and Strathkelvin and Bearsden.