Scottish Labour turns to Tony Blair Institute to prepare for election

Former prime minister Tony Blair is to aid Scottish Labour's bid for government, it has emerged.

The ex-Labour leader now helms a non-profit body, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), which helps "government and leaders to get things done" by advising them on "strategy, policy and delivery".

The London-based organisation has signed up to advise Scottish Labour on health policy ahead of the Holyrood election.

Anas Sarwar's party has put huge emphasis on the NHS in Scotland, repeatedly attacking the Scottish Government over waiting times.

It wants to overhaul the service and has said it would reduce the number of health boards if it was in power.

It is understood that the TBI is working with the party on a pro bono capacity on improving access to GPs and using technology to reduce waiting lists.

The news comes ahead of the upcoming Transforming Scotland's Health summit by Holyrood Events, at which the TBI's Dr Charlotte Refsum will deliver the opening keynote address on the case for reform.

The event will be held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on 5 November.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said her party wants to "put Scotland on the cutting edge of medical innovation and modernise our NHS so it is fit for the future".

A TBI spokesman said the organisation is "happy to talk to any and all political parties who are interested in our work, all of which is published and publicly available".

Commenting, the SNP's Clare Haughey said that "rather than listening to the people of Scotland, Labour are relying on the advice of has-beens like Tony Blair".