Politics in Scotland is changing beyond recognition - it is time our children benefitted from it

Holyrood will soon be the most powerful devolved legislature in the world. As the Scottish Labour Leader I know we need to harness that power for our children

Scottish Labour Government plans to establish a Fair Start Fund (PA)

"We now say goodbye to viewers in Scotland."

It's a phrase regularly repeated in political programmes, as those of us in Scotland opt out from parts of UK-wide coverage for reporting on issues specific to north of the border. It's a good thing that the politics of the Scottish Parliament is given such prominence, but one of the downsides is that people living elsewhere in the UK may not be aware of the fundamental changes taking place up here.

Politics in Scotland is changing. In fact, within a few years it will be unrecognisable. That's not a reference to opinion polls or the party political composition of the Scottish Parliament. It's a reflection of the fact that Holyrood will soon be the most powerful devolved legislature in the world.

The shift in the political conversation in Scotland is showing already. Despite the SNP's best efforts, the days of blaming somebody else for any problems in Scotland are coming to an end. Both Labour and the SNP say we are against austerity. Now these new powers mean we have to prove it. We can choose to do things differently, or we can manage austerity.

I have said repeatedly that education is my priority. Closing the gap between the richest and the rest in our classrooms isn't just a social and moral issue. Educational equality should be our key economic policy. To ensure we have a well-educated, highly skilled workforce ready to compete for the hi-tech jobs of the future we need everybody to get the best for their school years.

Today in Scotland, after nearly nine years of SNP Government, a young person's ability to do well at school and to go on to university is still determined by how much money their parents have. That just isn't right and I want to do something about it. A Scottish Labour Government would establish a Fair Start Fund, which would see primary schools receive £1,000 for every pupil from a deprived background. That money would go direct to head teachers to spend on things they think will close the gap between the richest and the rest.

Here's where the new powers come in. The money to pay for this would come from increasing the top rate of tax on those earning more than £150,000 a year to 50p. That's a new power coming to the Scottish Parliament that I want to use to transform the life chances of young people in Scotland.

Now, the SNP say they prioritise attainment in our schools. Yet Nicola Sturgeon has so far proved unwilling to invest the extra resources needed, or take the bold decisions required, to turn words into action. Where she has acted is to cut half a billion pounds from the budgets of local councils responsible for our schools and nurseries.

Scotland is changing. The choice facing voters in May is this - we can use the new powers to invest in the future with Labour, or carry on cutting budgets for our schools with the SNP. Whatever path each political leader takes, there can be no blaming someone else. It's the new politics.

Kezia Dugdale is the Scottish Labour Leader