SNP leader John Swinney

The Scottish election campaign has focussed on grassroots issues as the leading parties battle for support.

The issues of education and agriculture topped the agenda as Labour and the nationalists sought to gain vital public support ahead of May's parliamentary elections.

First minister Jack McConnell visited rural Scotland to pledge his commitment to the countryside economy.

And the SNP's John Swinney set out a new pledge on the recruitment of teachers.

Swinney said a nationalist-run executive would recruit more than 3100 additional primary school teachers at an estimated cost of £145 million.

The SNP leader said the money would mean primary pupils in the first three years of school would be taught in classes of 18 children or less.

Speaking after visiting a nursery school in Aberdeen, Swinney said that the resources needed to be focused on the early years of education before literacy and numeracy problems set in.

"We know that literacy and numeracy levels are stuck at unacceptably low levels, giving too many kids the worst kind of start to their education," he said.

SNP education spokesman Michael Russell argued that Labour's plans were too little, too late.

"Jack McConnell, as education minister and then as first minister, has stood by while our children's educational achievement has remained stubbornly low," he claimed.

"By the time they reach early secondary school more than half of our kids are below standard in reading, and writing.

"To tackle this, we must attack the problem head on, not simply treat the symptoms."

Continuing a national tour to promote his party's manifesto, Jack McConnell headed to Dumfries on Tuesday where he set out Labour's plans for the rural economy to local business leaders.

These include a business start up scheme and small business tax relief to encourage entrepreneurship in the countryside.

He also promised more resources for rural transport and a network of broadband communications connections.

Around 70 per cent of businesses would benefit from tax relief of up to 50 per cent, the Labour leader said.

"Our commitment to broadband technology will create the momentum that businesses here need to help them compete in the modern market place," he added.

The first minister declared that "only Labour has the manifesto ideas that will support business and growth".

"Labour's priority is to connect Scottish businesses with their customers; with skilled workers and with new markets.

"Whereas the SNP's priority is to disconnect Scottish businesses from their main markets and training and create the instability that will threaten economic growth."