Scottish First Minister John Swinney says he will use the coming year to “eradicate child poverty,” while Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says he will finish a job “only half done” when the Tories were kicked out of No 10.

Reflecting on what he termed a “remarkable year” which saw Mr Swinney return to the SNP leadership two decades after he was forced out, the First Minister described Hogmanay as a “time for togetherness and also for reflection” as he urged Scots to “look forward, to engage in acts of kindness and to renew past friendships” in the year ahead.

His own year, he said, would be focused on the drive “to eradicate child poverty, to grow the economy, to tackle the climate crisis and to improve our public services.”