Sarwar labelled 'desperate' over bid to lure rebels in the Yes camp
HOLYROOD ELECTION 2026
Anas Sarwar yesterday asked independence supporters to help make him First Minister.
The Scottish Labour leader appealed to separatists during the official launch of Scottish Labour’s Holyrood election campaign, but Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay branded the move as ‘desperate’ and ‘deeply concerning’.
Mr Sarwar last month asked disaffected Labour supporters to ‘hold your nose’ and back him to oust the SNP and put aside their anger over Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his government.
Appearing alongside activists and candidates at an arts venue in Glasgow’s Barras market, Mr Sarwar asked wary Nationalists to back Labour too.
He said: ‘The SNP have had their chance, and have lost their way – that’s why this election must be about removing them from office.
‘People who support independence know my views on it, and a referendum, but even if they disagree with me on Scotland’s final destination doesn’t mean we can’t come together and make Scotland better right now.
'That means no more excuses and no more looking for someone to blame – instead new energy, new ideas, new leadership and a new First Minister who shares the same ambition as the great people of Scotland do.’
However, Mr Findlay accused Mr Sarwar of being ‘desperate to court SNP voters’. He added: ‘Does that sound like a truly Unionist party who can be trusted on the Union?
Scottish Labour Party leader Anas Sarwar appealed to independence voters
‘For all that none of us want to obsess over independence, we would be completely naive to think it is off the table. It will always be John Swinney’s number one priority.
‘Given how dangerous the rhetoric from Anas Sarwar is around working with Yes voters, and pandering to them, who knows where we might end up?’
In his pitch to voters, Mr Sarwar said Scottish Labour was the only Holyrood party which could credibly replace the SNP. He insisted that he offered ‘change’, would ‘fix the mess’ left by the SNP and ‘get the basics right’.
On health, he said Labour would cut NHS waiting lists, end the 8am rush for a GP appointment.
He also pledged to ‘make life affordable and back business to create local jobs’ while putting police back on the streets, cracking down on yobs and ending the SNP’s ‘soft touch on crime’.
Attacking the SNP education record, Mr Sarwar promised to recruit 2,000 specialist teachers to help children falling behind in writing, reading, maths and science.
He also outlined plans for 9,000 apprenticeships in key Scottish industries. He added: ‘Some may be tempted by Reform but they can’t win in Scotland and can’t beat the SNP. All they risk doing is helping a tired SNP cling on to power, stopping change.’
Mr Sarwar twice ducked questions about candidate Irshad Ahmad, a former SNP and Alba member who topped the Lothians list amid rumours of a mass membership sign-up.
It had been reported a complaint had been sent to Scottish Labour general secretary Kate Watson alleging Mr Ahmad, who is a candidate in Edinburgh North Western, was doing ‘little to no work’.
Mr Sarwar said all his candidates were ‘working hard’.
