INEQUALITY in Scotland will "last until doomsday" under the SNP and the party should "make way" for Scottish Labour, Gordon Brown has said.

The former Prime Minister insisted his party wants to end child poverty, while the SNP "wants to end the United Kingdom". 

He argued that if the SNP could not solve problems in Scotland over the past 14 years in power, it will never solve them and should stand aside for the Labour Party.

Speaking at a drive-in rally of supporters in Glasgow, Mr Brown talked up new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar while urging voters to turn out for the party.

Mr Sarwar insisted Labour is the only party building a "credible alternative" to the SNP. 

He said he would "love" to be First Minister after Thursday's vote but is realistic about his chances.

Polls predict Labour is on course for third place, behind the Tories, with a possible SNP majority on a knife-edge.

Mr Brown pointed to what he described as failings of the Scottish Government in employment, healthcare and education as reasons to vote for Scottish Labour.

He told supporters: "If the SNP could not solve the health problem, the waiting list problem, the mental health problem, the social care problem in any one of the 14 years they've been in government, they will never solve the problem now.

"That's why they should give way to the Labour Party, who can do it."

He added: "It's not just a health crisis, it's the education crisis."

The former Labour Prime Minister said inequality in Scottish education has been rising during the SNP's term in office.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers have pointed to improvements in some areas when it comes to the attainment gap, but an Audit Scotland report published in March found the gap remains wide despite some progress being made.

Mr Brown added: "Every indicator that should be going up is going down and every indicator that should be going down is going up."

He reiterated: "If they can't solve the education problem in 14 years in government, make way for the Labour Party who can."

Addressing child poverty, Mr Brown said: "Poverty is not just a scandal - for children it is a crime."

He continued: "We want to end child poverty; the SNP want to end the United Kingdom. 

"They wake up in the morning thinking about a referendum; we wake up in the morning wanting a recovery. 

"They go to bed at night dreaming of separation; we go to bed dreaming of social justice. That's what we stand for.

"They spend all their waking hours trying to change our borders; we spend all our waking hours trying to change society."

He added: "I tell you this: given their obsession with independence, economic inequality and social injustice would last until doomsday if the SNP is all the confronts it. That's why we need Labour MSPs."