Jack McConnell unveiled campaign posters

With the Scottish Parliament due to be dissolved on 1 April, the country's political parties have been making their pitches to the electorate.

Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell promised a further clampdown on drugs should his party remain as the dominant force after the polls on 1 May.

The first minister said new legislation would be introduced giving the police and local authorities the power to close clubs down completely if class A drugs were found on the premises.

We will give the people the opportunity to move on - the opportunity to vote for independence in a democratic referendum within the four-year term of the parliament SNP leader John Swinney

Speaking at his party's poster launch in Edinburgh, he said far too many clubs were turning a blind eye to illegal drug dealing.

He made the pledge as figures showed a 600% increase in the use of crack cocaine in the north east of Scotland.

Mr McConnell said: "There are now far too many clubs and locations around Scotland where cocaine and other class A drugs are being openly sold and openly used, and it is time to bring that to an end.

"It is time that the owners of these premises stopped turning a blind eye to the use and sale of class A drugs and that they take responsibility for what happens in their premises."

However, Tory justice spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton accused Mr McConnell of "double standards".

'Stark choice'

He claimed Labour had not enacted Conservative legislation which would have ended early release for drug dealers and failed to back a Tory move to amend the Criminal Justice Scotland Bill.

Highlighting the problem posed by crack cocaine, he said: "Addicts should face a stark choice - either they agree to immediate rehabilitation or they go to jail.

"This is the right approach to solve this problem and the people of Scotland can do something about it by voting Scottish Conservative in May."

We Scottish Liberal Democrats have turned our manifesto promises into government action Ross Finnie

Scottish National Party leader John Swinney said victorious Nationalists would stage an independent referendum in the second or third year of an inaugural term.

Mr Swinney said this could result in the 2007 elections becoming the first to an independent Scottish Parliament.

Addressing reporters in the capital, Mr Swinney said: "Scotland will only move onto independence with the permission of the people.

"The choice will be made by the people of Scotland.

"But we will give the people the opportunity to move on - the opportunity to vote for independence in a democratic referendum within the four-year term of the parliament."

Public services

The SNP leader said that his party would aim to win the trust of the Scottish people and its first step would be to sort out the "mess" in public services.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said the party, which has been in coalition with Labour, delivered on 80% of its promises at the 1999 elections.

Environment and Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie said: "We Scottish Liberal Democrats have turned our manifesto promises into government action.