Maybe the SNP could only commit to one summer of swimming lessons because slashing local government capital funding means many swimming pools in danger of closing over the coming years.

Time to be serious and make a meaningful difference beyond this election. [2/2]

Ensuring that every child gets the chance to learn to swim is just one of the ways Scottish Labour will deliver a new direction for Scotland. [14/14]

No child's talent and potential should be held back by postcode lotteries or economic inequalities — but the current SNP Scottish Government is simply not taking this issue seriously enough. [13/14]

✅ And in the meantime, I have made clear in Parliament my calls for the creation of a cross-party task force to work with Scottish Swimming, local councils and leisure trusts to develop a plan for a sustainable future for swimming in Scotland. [12/14]

✅ Undertake a national audit of swimming provision and ensure more comprehensive data is collected on how many children can swim.

✅ Save taxpayers' money by investing £6 million into the scheme — a fraction of the cost of accidental drownings. [11/14]

🌹 Scottish Labour's pledge 🌹

In our Chance to Swim plan, a @scottishlabour.bsky.social government will:

✅ Fund a scheme to give EVERY primary 5 child the chance to learn basic swimming and water safety skills — no matter where they live or how well off their parents are. [10/14]

I was pleased to visit Paisley-based community organisation Just Dive who are doing great work in this area too. I want to build on all of this. [9/14]

There is, however, excellent work being done throughout Scottish Swimming’s ‘Learn to Swim’ programme which I saw first hand with Team GB’s Paralympic Gold Medallist Faye Rogers. [8/14]

😳 The SNP government was forced to admit earlier this year that it had NO IDEA how many Scottish pupils can't swim.

Thousands of children are missing out on crucial water safety skills on the SNP's watch. [7/14]

🙅‍♂️ Research from Scottish Swimming has found that only 16% of community swimming lesson participants come from the most deprived 20% of areas in Scotland.

😲 The cost of lessons has more than DOUBLED since 2018. [6/14]

💷 As well as each drowning being a tragic loss of life, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents estimates that each one costs £1.7 million.

So what is the SNP government doing about this? Frankly, not enough — especially in the poorest areas of our country. [5/14]

‼️Last year alone, there were 33 accidental drownings in Scotland.

⚠️ Scotland's most decorated Olympian, Duncan Scott, has warned that the number of drownings will only increase as a result of pool closures. [4/14]

😣 That's thousands of young people growing up without the confidence or safety skills that swimming brings.

And risks for those lacking these skills are real. [3/14]

🎒 @scottishswimming.bsky.social has estimated that around 40% of children leave primary school unable to swim.

🚫 Public swimming pools across the country are closing due to rising costs and Scottish Government underfunding of local councils. [2/14]