SCOTTISH Labour will today pin its election hopes on the promise of a "childcare revolution" including a breakfast club in every primary school.
Launching her party's manifesto in Edinburgh, leader Kezia Dugdale will outline a vision of children cared for throughout the day, ending with after-school sports activities.
She will argue the plans for "wrap-round" care - funded through increased taxes - will benefit both children and parents wanting to work longer hours.
She will dismiss the SNP's flagship pledge to double the number of hours of free childcare available to families as "meaningless" and "not worth the paper it's written on".
Read more: Nicola Sturgeon is not doing enough to support women, says Kezia Dugdale
John Swinney, the SNP's campaign director, accused Labour of copying his party's plans.
Ms Dugdale hopes a series of policies aimed at families with school age children will help Labour pull away from the Conservatives as the election campaign enters its final seven days.
Under the breakfast club scheme, Scotland's 2056 primary schools would each receive funding of £6500.
The total cost would be a relatively modest £13million but Labour says it would spend more on education over the next five years than the SNP, with extra resources coming from a 1p rise in the basic and higher rates of income tax.
Cash raised from a further 5p hike in the additional rate, paid by those earning over £150,000, would be earmarked for a "fair start fund" to help close the attainment gap between children from better and less well off backgrounds.
Other measures include training primary teachers in computer coding, in order to begin high-tech lessons for younger pupils.
High school students will be able to work towards a new Scottish Graduation Certificate recognising work experience and vocational training.
Read more: Labour election manifesto will 'speak to all of Scotland'
Labour would also scrap charges for exam appeals, protect free university tuition and reverse SNP cuts to bursaries for the poorest students in higher education.
Labour will match the SNP's promise of 30 hours free childcare but Ms Dugdale said only Labour would generate the funds to deliver it.
Existing free childcare provision of 16 hours has been criticised by some parents who say it has not been available when and where they need it.
Ms Dugdale said: "Our vision is of a Scotland where parents can drop their kids off to get a good breakfast and pick them up from an after-school sports club. "That's good for working parents but it's also good for the health of the nation. ambitions for how we care for our children.
"For years parents have been offered guarantees on childcare that are not worth the manifesto paper they are written on.
"We want childcare that fits around the lives of parents, that is flexible, affordable and accessible."
Attacking the SNP's pledge, she added: "Promises about the number of hours of free childcare are meaningless unless parents and children can make use of them.
"Labour will begin the move toward the flexible, wrap-around affordable childcare that families in Scotland need.
"We will start on a new revolution in childcare."
Read more: Labour would open all public contracts through FoI, says Kezia Dugdale
Deputy First Minister and SNP campaign manager John Swinney said: "After waiting over five weeks for Labour’s manifesto it seems they have come up with little more than a copy of plans the SNP has already put in place.
"It is the SNP that has set out plans to transform childcare by doubling it to 30 hours a week including increasing staff and making childcare more flexible and extending free school meals to early years."
He highlighted other pledges, including a
£750million investment in raising attainment among children from poorer backgrounds.
He also cited plans for a Professional Baccalaureate qualification, that would recognise academic, vocational and work experience.
He added: "The reality is that it is only the SNP that has the strength, unity and vision to keep Scotland moving forward and in just over a week voters will have the opportunity to elect Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister and to re-elect an SNP government."
Labour will launch its manifesto at a community project in Edinburgh. The latest polls suggest the party is running neck and neck with the Conservatives in a battle for second place.
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