60 Second Briefing: April 25

SNP

  • Alex Salmond told delegates at the Scottish Police Federation in Peebles that the SNP had set aside £78m to help meet their target of recruiting an extra 1000 officers.



Conservative

  • Annabel Goldie told the federation that the Tories were committed to recruiting 1500 extra police officers. She cited New York, where she said crime had plummeted after police numbers were increased by 50%.



Labour

  • Jack McConnell attacked the SNP's plans for a local income tax, which he said would be more unfair than the poll tax. Speaking in Stirling, he said that since those who live off unearned income such as share options and dividends would pay nothing, the super-rich would escape the charge.



LibDems

  • Nicol Stephen was in Inverness pledging a free playgroup place for every two-year-old and a doubling of the number of playgroups.



Others

  • The Greens unveiled their first election billboard campaign in Stirling. It shows a man attempting to call for help from a flooded phone box, emphasising the threat of climate change.
  • A survey by Greenpeace revealed that fewer than a quarter of Scots support building new nuclear power stations, while nearly three quarters would prefer to use more renewable energy.
  • Cancer Research UK published a manifesto containing 12 measures it wants implemented to make the fight against the disease the top priority for the next Scottish Parliament.
  • SNP leader Alex Salmond will be the third main party leader to be interviewed by The Herald's Alf Young as part of the Scotland Decides event. On Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell will face the questions from the chair. Both events at the Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow, are now fully booked.
  • The Big Neighbourhood Debate, the latest in a series of national votepod' discussions chaired by the broadcaster Lesley Riddoch, takes place today at Ocean Terminal, Leith, at 7pm.
  • Gordon Brown is hosting a business breakfast in Edinburgh, while Jack McConnell will visit the Ochil constituency. Alex Salmond will visit the Bellahouston Sports Academy in Glasgow to talk about the importance of sport in the community. Murdo Fraser, the deputy Tory leader, will focus on the party's environment policy. George Galloway, the Respect MP, will give his support to Solidarity when he attends two rallies in Edinburgh and Glasgow with Tommy Sheridan.
  • The Conservative candidate for the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency is Stephanie Fraser, not Stephanie Turner, as reported in The Herald yesterday.