Housing and arts on the campaign trail agenda

Nicola Sturgeon is highlighting her party’s commitment to delivering more affordable homes in a visit to Dumbarton today.

The SNP has pledged to building 100,000 new homes over the next decade.

It says this will help grow the economy, tackle poverty and meet climate change targets.

Sturgeon will say: “In the last term, our investment was three times higher than the UK on a per-capita basis – and in each of the last two financial years we’ve actually delivered a greater number of social rented properties in Scotland than across the whole of England. 

“But if re-elected, we plan to go further and faster. As part of our 20-year housing strategy we’ll deliver 100,000 affordable homes over the next decade, and the £3.5bn we will invest during this parliament will support an estimated 14,000 jobs a year.”

Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens are in Dunfermline to highlight commitments to arts and culture.

Patrick Harvie will point to local place plans are a means of improving community-led planning which would support artist-led spaces.

Speaking ahead of a visit to an artist collective, Harvie said: “We need to rethink our town centres, so they become attractive places to be, and artists can play a huge role in a green recovery. As COVID restrictions ease and we get a chance to get together again there will be huge appetite for gigs and galleries. We need to let artists lead that.

“A green recovery means moving on from a broken economy that left whole communities behind. We can breathe new life into our town centres.”

Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Alex Salmond will launch Alba’s manifesto this morning, while Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie will unveil the Labour’s women’s manifesto in Glasgow.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross will also be in Glasgow to criticise the SNP’s record in government.