THE SNP said a three point plan to improve living standards must be put in place to protect families and people on low incomes.

One day after launching the party’s manifesto, Nicola Sturgeon said the Tories didn’t care about rising poverty and inequality.

Ms Sturgeon said the actions needed were an increase in the minimum wage to the real Living Wage level, and end to the public sector Pay cap and restoring fairness to the social security system.

The SNP manifesto says that a minimum wage should be increased to the living wage level which Ms Sturgeon said would be above £10 an hour by 2022.

On the pay cap it states the Scottish Government, which is responsible for public sector pay in Scotland, would enter into negotiations for next year’s settlement “in good faith and with a view to agreeing an outcome that takes account of both the public finances and the cost of living”.

She said the Scottish Government would no longer assume a 1% increase which has been in place for several years.

Public sector unions have campaigned for an end to the pay cap and protected outside the scottish Parliament last week on ths issue ahead of a vote by MSPs on a labour motion to scrap the cap.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The Tories have shown nothing but cold indifference to the rising levels of poverty and inequality across the UK

"They found money to cut taxes for the rich but claim there is no money to help those on lower incomes.”

On social security she said the SNP would demand an end to the freeze on working age benefits, and the two child tax credit cap.