SCOTLAND could see 170,000 jobs created north of the border under Labour’s economic recovery plans, party leaders have said.

Scottish Labour has proposed a number of job creation schemes ahead of May’s Holyrood election.

The proposals include a “jobs for recovery” plan, whereby every Scot who has struggled to find work is guaranteed a job for at least six months, something Labour says will lead to about 60,000 new posts.

At the end of January, 360,000 Scots were furloughed and the most recent figures show a drop in the employment rate.

In total, the party said nine schemes, including a new building programme for social housing, would contribute to the 170,000 total. 

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Scotland is facing a jobs crisis — without urgent action we could see hundreds of thousands of people facing a future out of work.

“Scotland deserves a brighter future — that’s why we’ve set out plans to create at least 170,000 jobs in Scotland.”