STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

THE SNP and Labour made their last day bids to convince the voters on the streets of Scotland’s two main cities.

Nicola Sturgeon rallied her campaign troops in Glasgow city centre on the final day of campaigning.

The SNP leader urged people to vote to give her a mandate as First Minister to build “a fairer, more equal and prosperous Scotland”.

Labour were also making their final push for votes with party leader Kezia Dugdale in Edinburgh pledging to stop public spending cuts.

Ms Sturgeon met dozens of SNP activists on the steps at Buchanan Street to deliver her final message.

She said polling day was “A big day for Scotland. I have confidence the people of Scotland will choose to keep moving forward with the SNP. I’m asking people to elect me as First Minister to lead the country for the next five years and into the next decade.

”I’m asking for a mandate to make this great country even greater.”

After a brief interruption when a protester emerged from the crowd and waved a large union flag in front of the First Minister, she continued with her message.

She said: “If I am returned as First Minister of Scotland, I will seize the opportunity with both hands, and I pledge to work every day to deliver a fairer, more equal and prosperous Scotland.”

She spend around 20 minutes after the rally posing for selfies with well-wishers on the step sand and around Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street.

Ms Sturgeon added: “This election is about who becomes First Minister and who forms the next government. The only way to elect a government with a clear plan for the future of Scotland’s public services, to create jobs and to deliver a fairer more equal Scotland is to use both votes for the SNP.

“I am asking voters to give me a personal mandate as First Minister to reform and to transform Scotland for the future. I urge voters across the country to leave nothing to chance and to give both votes to the SNP on Thursday.”

Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was out in Edinburgh on the final day delivering the party’s message to stop the cuts.

She said: “Voters across Scotland have a clear choice. We can have five more years of cuts with another SNP Government, or investment in our public services with Labour. A vote for Labour is a vote to send MSPs to Holyrood who will stand against austerity and cuts in communities across Scotland.”

Ms Dugdale is standing in the Edinburgh Eastern seat and was campaigning with other Labour candidates in the capital.

She added: “If you want to stop the cuts, you need to vote for it by using both your votes for Labour tomorrow. We can make our commitment to stop the cuts because of the choice we have made to use the powers to make fairer choices on tax.

“Faced with the choice between using the new powers of the Parliament, or cutting into Scotland’s future, Labour chooses to use the powers.”