Scotland's public services need policies which are based on the Scottish social democratic tradition, John Swinney said today.

Giving a keynote speech to an audience of SNP councillors, activists, and swing voters at the University of Stirling, Swinney said the election is about which party will best stand up for Scotland's interests.

He accused Labour of being controlled by London. "That means Westminster tells Scotland how much of our own money we can spend on vital public services such as health, education and the fight against crime," he said.

"Despite sending more and more tax revenue south, Scotland's share of public spending fell under the Tories, has continued to fall under new Labour, and if senior members of the Labour cabinet have their way, it will fall even further and faster after June 7," said Swinney.

The number of nurses would fall, class sizes would grow and the police would find their job increasingly difficult as a result, he claimed.

"Under Margaret Thatcher the Tories used Scotland as a guinea pig for the poll tax. Now under Tony Blair, new Labour is using Scotland as a guinea pig for the costly and ideologically driven Private Finance Initiative.

"Unlike PFI our Scottish Trust for Public Investment will strip out the private profit premium, freeing up more money to build newer and better schools and hospital buildings. The Private Finance Initiative is a Thatcherite idea to benefit Treasury officials in London. The Trust is a Scottish idea to benefit patients and school children in Scotland," said Swinney.

Swinney also set out how SNP policies would rebuild the public service ethos by listening, not lecturing, to public sector employees. The SNP plans for an Education Convention and a National Healthcare Commission would involve workers, as well as other interested parties, he said.

"By making the wealth of our rich country work for the people of Scotland, I know we can all achieve that better Scotland now," Swinney said.