SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar said today that his party’s plans could kickstart an economic revival that would reinvigorate the high street.

He was speaking as Scotland’s Covid-19 restrictions were eased, allowing cafes, beer gardens, non-essential shops and museums to reopen.

Mr Sarwar said that the last year “has been the toughest of our lives, but with some restrictions now lifting we have cause for hope for the future.”

Ahead of the May 6 Scottish Parliament election, he laid out his party’s plans to revive local economies. These include a £75 prepaid card for every adult to spend on the high street, and a Scottish staycation scheme which would offer money off a third night of accommodation. 

Mr Sarwar said: “As many as 360,000 of our fellow Scots are still on furlough and many are worried that they will have no job to go back to.

“We can’t go back to the failed economic model pre-Covid, nor can we turn a blind eye to the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic.

“Our bold plans could bring about an economic revival that would reinvigorate our high streets, boost our economy and deliver jobs for the people of Scotland.”

Also today, Mr Sarwar joined his counterparts in an agreement to denounce abuse during the Holyrood election campaign.

The leaders of Scotland’s five major parties backed the Kennedy Commitment, named after late MP Charles Kennedy.

The former Lib Dem leader faced a deluge of personal abuse during the 2015 general election, in which he lost his seat. He died shortly afterwards from a haemorrhage linked to his alcoholism.