ANAS Sarwar has insisted he can still become First Minister at the next Holyrood election despite his party’s turbulent first six months in Westminster.
The Scottish Labour leader said that having a Labour UK government was merely a “stepping stone” to him getting to Bute House and dismissed Keir Starmer’s unpopular policy decisions as “people’s individual frustrations”.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mail Sarwar said he was proud of his party’s work in removing the Tories from government and said: “The worst day of a Labour Government is still better than the best day of a Tory government for Scotland.”
Since becoming Scottish Labour leader in 2021 Sarwar has aligned himself closely with Keir Starmer and UK Labour with the pair photo opportunities and constituency visits regularly in the lead up to the General Election in July.
But political analysts said this close relationship could backfire for Sarwar in 2026 if Starmer doesn’t perform in Westminster.
Starmer has made a series of gloomy announcements that have proven deeply unpopular with the electorate including the rejection of compensation for WASPI women, removal of the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and a refusal to reverse the two-child benefit cap which campaigners say is keeping thousands of children in poverty.
Asked if he regretted being so closely tied with Starmer and the UK Labour party Sarwar said: “Keir and I have a really strong personal relationship and a really strong political relationship.
“At the same time I’ll be really honest – I viewed Keir Starmer and the election of a Labour government as a stepping stone to what I’m trying to achieve rather than the whole of what I’m trying to achieve.
“Having a Labour government was a stepping stone to having a Labour government in Scotland. I will always be proud of the role that I played, that Scottish Labour played and the Scottish people played in getting rid of a Tory government that’s damaged our country over the last 14 years.
“If we hadn’t elected Scottish Labour MPs we would have the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg, Suella Braverman and Rishi Sunak still in charge and making decisions that were disastrous for Scotland and the whole of the UK.”
Last month Sarwar took the unprecedented step of declaring he would reverse his own party’s policy on winter fuel payments for Scottish pensioners if he becomes First Minister in 2026 but rejected the suggestion that Starmer was his biggest barrier to getting that top job.
He said: “There is no world in which we could win the election in 2026 if the Tories had won again.
“So for anyone who might express frustrations about individual decisions, it needs to be remembered what mess we’re trying to clean up and who created that. There were 14 years of carnage under the Tories, complete economic incoherence, complete lack of morality where they had no interest at all in delivering for the people of Scotland.
“We now have a UK Labour government that people might have individual disagreements with but at least we have a government we know is in it for the right reasons.”
In the last four weeks Scottish Labour has faced its own turmoil with three prominent councillors being suspended pending police probes.
They include Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day who was suspended after the Sunday Mail revealed he was sending sexual messages to Ukrainian refugees.
Sarwar admitted the last month has been a challenge but said: “As soon as I was made aware of any negativity – and the same will be the case going forward – I have always taken immediate action.
“Of course it’s deeply frustrating and disappointing. I want the best representation at every level and I expect the highest standards.
“Anyone who falls below those standards will be dealt with.”
In a swipe to the SNP, he added: “I will just point out though, it’s not my party that’s under police investigation.”
The Scottish Labour leader took a further jab at the SNP and said he was determined not to enter into a blame game with Westminster if his party won power in Scotland.
He said: “There are 10,000 children who woke up homeless on Christmas morning – housing is completely under the SNP’s watch. We’re going into the New Year with one in six Scots on NHS waiting lists – that’s on the SNP.
“We are going to wake up on New Year’s day and our schools will have fallen in the international league tables, again this is completely on the SNP.
“They have complete control of these issues and I’m not willing to allow the SNP to pretend that all Scotland is a nation of protest. Scotland is a place of innovation, talent and ideas.
“I want to take us back to that Scotland where our best days are ahead of us, to celebrate the best of Scottish ability, to make sure we are changing lives for people here and that’s what I’m focussed on.”
Scottish Labour has so far withheld support for the SNP’s latest budget which still looks set to pass with support from the Scottish Greens or the Liberal Democrats.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison used shrewd political manoeuvres when she announced she would spend £3m laying the groundwork for a future plan to reverse the two child benefit cap in Scotland – the refusal to do so being one of Keir Starmer’s most unpopular moves since taking office.
Sarwar said he would still have “meaningful dialogue” with the SNP but questioned how the party spent Scotland’s money.
He said: “For us it’s more than just about what money is given to which department, it’s about how that money is spent.
“The SNP have been passing budgets for 17 years and things keep getting worse.
“So yes they want a budget passed but what are they going to do to change the direction of travel in the NHS, in our schools, and for local businesses? All of this is going in the wrong direction, but we will still engage in the budget process.”
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