Scottish Labour’s 2026 manifesto vows to upskill and invest in tech
Scottish Labour’s 2026 election manifesto pledges to improve the NHS with technology and more digital adoption funding for business, as well as expand the country’s Techscaler programme.
The manifesto, which comes ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election in May, has a heavy focus on the NHS and its improvement.
This includes speeding up work on Scotland’s own NHS app, and ensuring every health board can use the app within 100 days of the election and create a virtual hospital programme which allows patients to attend outpatient consultations from their homes, along with the creation of a single patient record.
“For too long, Scotland’s NHS has remained stuck in the analogue age,” the manifesto said. “Scottish Labour will realise the benefits of modern technology and digital working.”
Labour also promised to expand the use of wearable technology, allowing patients to monitor their conditions and take action without the need to see a GP and invest in artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled scanners.
The numerous digital initiatives will be funded by a £680m pot specifically for digital and technological improvements in the NHS, according to the manifesto.
Digital skills
More widely in the economy, the Labour manifesto also pledges to get to grips with digital skills both among the public and companies. It plans to deliver digital adoption funding worth £15m to help businesses improve their productivity and also launch a single industrial strategy in partnership with businesses.
“Innovation helps Scottish businesses stay competitive, open new markets and build resilient local supply chains,” the manifesto said. “Technological innovation does not stand still and so neither can Scotland if our growing tech sector is to thrive.”
The country’s Techscaler programme, first launched by the then first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, in July 2022, consists of a network of Techscaler incubators spread across Scotland, including in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Stirling, Aberdeen, Dumfries and Inverness.
The Scottish Labour Party wants to expand the Techscaler network and prioritise areas where there are geographic gaps and where it can “have most impact on business growth”.
It also promises dedicated support for creative technology businesses to help them grow.
Key to its manifesto is the Digital Skills Passport, a digital record of a person’s skill level, formal qualifications, work experience and training, which can be shared with employers and used to move between jobs. This will also be available to students doing apprenticeships.
Labour also vowed to embed digital skills in the curriculum, so students learn how to ethically use technology and navigate risks associated with AI and social media, as well as ban mobile phones in classrooms.
“Digital access and skills are crucial for participation in modern society, but the urgency to tackle digital exclusion has been lost,” said the manifesto. “We want Scotland to realise the benefits of new technology and digitisation, so Scottish Labour will provide the leadership needed to tackle digital poverty.”
This includes a digital mentors’ network with volunteers in community spaces such as supermarkets and libraries, offering “targeted assistance toward people less likely to seek help”.
Labour also pledged to create “digital playgrounds” comprising digital equipment in public spaces such as libraries and museums where young people can use and engage with technology and innovation safely.
Under a Labour government in Scotland, every local authority will also have to identity a digital champion who will be responsible for coordinating digital inclusion policy and connectivity.
According to Scottish Labour, the plan set out by the party can close the economic performance gap and deliver between £600-£700m to spend on public services by 2030/31.
“This economic growth would be delivered through our plans to transform skills and employability, overhaul planning, increase innovation and improve productivity through adoption of new technologies,” the manifesto said. “This would all be underpinned by our new industrial strategy and a relentless focus on business growth from the Cabinet down to refocused government agencies.”