Andy Kerr, the former health minister, yesterday began his fight for the Labour leadership in Scotland by promising a massive expansion in free childcare.

Mr Kerr pledged to provide all families with 800 hours of free childcare - almost double the present entitlement.

The East Kilbride MSP proposed to give every Scots child an account that their parents could draw on to give them free help during and after office hours. He said that the plan would cost £360million. He also pledged to provide free nursery places for every two-year-old child in Scotland.

Mr Kerr's decision to open his campaign with a strong policy initiative was a deliberate attempt to position himself as a candidate with ideas that will appeal to the voters.

Speaking on the first day of his campaign, in Glasgow, he said: “Much has been said about reconnecting with the voters - if we have the best policies, the hardest workers and the greatest ambition for Scotland we will reconnect.”

Mr Kerr also hinted at a blizzard of policy initiatives during the course of his campaign, claiming that he would present plans to help schoolchildren, pensioners, workers and business. He is hoping that his personal policy manifesto will win over the votes of ordinary party members.

Mr Kerr was accompanied at the campaign start by his wife and two young daughters. It is understood that he was undecided about challenging for the Labour leadership amid concerns that the job would take a toll on his family life.

He said: “My family and my country mean the world to me. I'm no different to any other parents, or any other Scot. I want my family to grow and prosper in an upbeat, confident forward-looking Scotland.”

Mr Kerr gave his backing to Gordon Brown but has also called for the position of Scottish leader to be strengthened to include responsibility for the wider party instead of just the group of MSPs at Holyrood.

He is the only one of the three leadership contenders to say that he would not rule out supporting a referendum on Scottish independence. “I strongly believe that the Scots have a right to determine their own future constitutionally,” he said.

Mr Kerr faces stiff competition for the job from two other former Holyrood ministers; Cathy Jamieson, the former justice minister, and Iain Gray, the former enterprise minister. Mr Gray has so far won the backing of 13 of his MSP colleagues in the Scottish Parliament, Cathy Jamieson has 12.

Ms Jamieson yesterday called for a “substantial expansion” in student bursaries as she visited the University of Strathclyde.

It emerged that Mr Gray has the backing of Charlie Gordon, the Cathcart MSP, who pulled out of the contest after failing to secure the six nominations required to stand. Mr Gray has also won a nomination from John Park, the Fife MSP, who is widely respected in union circles.

The race for the deputy leadership of the party is between Bill Butler, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, and Johann Lamont, the MSP for Glasgow Pollock. Ms Lamont has already secured the backing of a third of the group in the Scottish Parliament.

The leadership contenders will take part in a series of hustings events throughout the country before a ballot of the Labour membership.

The new leader will be announced on September 13.

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