SCOTLAND’S political parties will make their final pitch to voters today ahead of tomorrow’s crucial local government election.

Nicola Sturgeon asked Scots to back the SNP to “make the Tories sit up and take notice”.

While Douglas Ross urged unionist voters to back his party in a bid to “lock the SNP out of power”.

Labour promised to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and the Scottish Greens are asking voters keen on “pushing local authorities to cut carbon emissions, boost public transport and build communities where everyone can afford to live,” to give them their first preference. 

The leaders of the Holyrood parties will all be in Edinburgh this afternoon, with First Minister’s Questions brought forward a day to avoid a clash with the poll.

Nearly all of Scotland’s 1,226 seats are up for grabs, though some councillors have already won, with uncontested seats in five of the country’s 32 local authorities.

Five of the 23 seats in the Shetland Islands are uncontested, along with four out of 29 in the Western Isles, three of 22 in Inverclyde, three of 26 in Moray and three of 74 in Highland.

In her eve of poll message, Ms Sturgeon told voters that Boris Johnson has “run out of excuses for their negligent inaction on their self-made cost of living crisis that is hammering families across Scotland.”

She added: “The only thing that will make the Tories sit up and take notice is when they think their own jobs are on the line - and that's why this election is so important.”

Recent polls have suggested that the Tories could drop to third place behind Scottish Labour.

They were the big winners in terms of gains at the 2017 election, but this year’s campaign has been dogged by questions about Westminster sleaze and the fines handed out to Boris Johnson and staff in Downing Street for attending law-breaking parties at the height of lockdown.

However, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the election was “about improving local services, restoring local schools, cleaning up local streets, fixing local roads and investing in communities.”

“If pro-UK voters unite, just like last year, we can beat the SNP and deliver on those local priorities.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar praised his party’s campaign.

He said that digital content had been seen by over three million Scots and that his activists had held more than 100,000 doorstep conversations with members of the public while on the campaign trail.

Mr Sarwar said: “Too many Scots are having to choose between heating and eating as the cost of living crisis bites.

“It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Scottish Green co-convenor Lorna Slater said even “one or two” councillors for her party in each local authority could “hold the balance of power,” and be crucial in securing investment in “nature restoration, recycling and active travel”.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said Liberal Democrat councillors would “sweat the small stuff like potholes and bin collections while fighting for you on the big stuff.“

He urged “curious” people who had voted Conservative or SNP in the past to give the Lib Dems “a try.”