NICOLA Sturgeon has officially kicked off the SNP's Holyrood campaign with an announcement video detailing what the party will be doing over the next few weeks.

Scottish voters will go to the polls on May 6 in what looks set to be the most important election in the history of the reconvened Scottish Parliament.

The election campaigns have just begun and - if the first leaders' debate last night is anything to go by - there is a large number of topics that voters will want to put to prospective MSPs and those who hope to lead the Scottish Government for the next five years.

In her campaign video, Sturgeon said that in normal times she would be "crisscrossing the country, meeting just as many people as possible, but this election is different.

She said: "But Covid means that is not currently possible and so over the coming weeks I'll be touring Scotland virtually to meet people online.

"We'll be holding a series of digital town hall meetings from Stranraer to Shetland."

Sturgeon goes onto speak about the announcement of constituency and list candidates for the election, with the SNP's policy of having someone with a disability or from a BAME background at top of each of the eight regional lists.

She continued: "These are of course not normal times but they are the most serious of times and that calls for experienced leadership and serious government. That is what people across Scotland expect and deserve."

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She added that over the last year as First Minister she has dedicated the SNP government to the task of tackling the coronavirus pandemic, adding: "That will continue to be my number one priority."

Adding that due to the sacrifices of everyone over the past year and the vaccine rollout, the SNP is also looking ahead to Scotland's recovery, as well as who should make the decisions on Scotland's future.

She said: "In this election, the SNP's offer is this: First and foremost - strong leadership and serious government to lead Scotland through the pandemic. Covid is not yet over, we need an experienced hand at the wheel.

"Second, a transformational policy programme to kickstart and drive our recovery with the NHS, jobs and an economy that will work for everyone at its core."

Among the policy proposals the First Minister highlighted are:

  • The proposed 4% pay rise for NHS staff that is "the biggest NHS pay increase in the history of devolution"
  • A new National Care Service 
  • A cancer recovery plan
  • Building 100,000 affordable homes supporting 14,000 jobs per year
  • A laptop, Chromebook or tablet for every school pupil so "no child misses out on learning"

The party will have more policies to set out over the coming weeks which Sturgeon says will show what kind of a country Scotland can be.

She said: "These measures will offer practical help, but they also tell a story of the kind of Scotland we can be.

"A country of compassion and solidarity where we look out for one another and offer a helping hand."

She concluded by setting out when and why the SNP will push for a second referendum on Scottish independence, as well as what it could bring the people of Scotland.

Watch the full campaign video below.