Election Daily June 12: STV poll results, debate aftermath, Labour in NHS pledge

Key Points

SNP and Labour neck-and-neck in Scotland ahead of election – Ipsos/STV poll
FM accuses Tories and Labour of having a ‘determination to keep austerity going’ in TV debate
Labour plans for the health service could provide 160,000 more appointments, says Sarwar

John Swinney is offering Scots a “cast iron guarantee” his party’s MPs will “fight to protect Scotland’s values” at Westminster while Anas Sarwar has said his party will “stop the chaos” in the NHS as election campaigning continues.

The First Minister and Scottish Labour leader are back on the trail after clashing over economics and austerity in a live TV showdown.

Sarwar came under fire from First Minister John Swinney, who repeatedly claimed that a Labour government would “prolong” the austerity agenda that has been imposed by the Conservatives.

That was denied by the Scottish Labour leader, with Sarwar telling his SNP rival: “Read my lips. No austerity under Labour.”

Ahead of a speech on Wednesday, the Glasgow MSP said funding sent to Scotland as part of UK Labour plans for the health service could provide 160,000 more appointments north of the border.

Meanwhile, John Swinney made his commitment in the wake of warnings that spending cuts are coming, regardless of whether Labour or the Tories win next month’s General Election.