Jack McConnell said he would be coming out fighting

First Minister Jack McConnell said he was ready to come out fighting to contain the threat from the SNP.

However, the Nationalists have said they are confident of success in the 3 May elections.

At a Glasgow meeting Mr McConnell was joined by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander and Hazel Blears, chairwoman of the party in London.

The party published a new document called Results, detailing more than 280 achievements delivered by the Scottish Parliament.

We have a proud record going into this election Jack McConnell First Minister

At the same time members of the SNP - including party leader Alex Salmond and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon - gathered in Perth to discuss preparations for the election in May.

Mr McConnell warned an SNP victory would put Holyrood's achievements at risk.

He said: "The reality is that Alex Salmond wants one thing and one thing only, and that's the chance to separate Scotland from the UK.

"His plans for independence will wreck Scotland's economy and jobs will be lost."

Poll positions

The first minister also outlined the progress Labour had made in government north of the border, highlighting increasing employment, reductions in waiting times, falling crime rates and a reduction in poverty.

He said: "We have a proud record going into this election."

But the SNP was also in confident mood after a recent opinion poll put it ahead of Labour.

The survey found 33% of people said they would be backing the SNP in the Holyrood elections, compared to 29% for Labour.

It's time for more powers for the parliament to enable Scots to grow our economy, and play our full part in the world Alex Salmond SNP leader

The results of the Scottish opinion poll showed the SNP had increased its support from the 2003 election, when it won 24% of the vote, while Labour's share has dropped from 35%.

Mr Salmond said: "It's time for a change in government, and for a new first minister who is on the side of the people of the Scotland, rather than in Tony Blair's pocket.

"It's time for more powers for the parliament to enable Scots to grow our economy, and play our full part in the world."

He insisted: "Only the SNP can beat Labour next year to bring the progress our country so badly needs after seven years of this Labour and Lib Dem government in Edinburgh."

Mr Salmond added that the meeting was the first of several key events in the run-up to the election.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives also attacked Labour, with their leader Annabel Goldie criticising its record of government.

She said: "To the Scottish people, Labour's record of achievement is unacceptably high levels of council tax, escalating anti-social behaviour, with communities blighted by vandalism, broken glass, low-level crime and petty offending, an inability to deal with the country's intensifying drug problem and an inability to take forward the Scottish economy in any meaningful sense.