THE cause of Scottish independence “goes against the values of solidarity and social justice”, Anas Sarwar has said.
The Scottish Labour leader said there was “nothing progressive” about the Yes movement as he launched into a dual attack against both the SNP and the Conservatives.
Branding Liz Truss “more dangerous” than Margaret Thatcher and a worse Prime Minister than Boris Johnson, the Glasgow MSP accused both his rivals of thriving on “division” adding: “The politics of division helps the Tories and the SNP win elections, not change people's lives.”
Speaking at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Monday, Sarwar said there was a “majority” support for remaining in the Union – despite a landmark poll last week which found the majority of Scots backed independence for the first time.
Sarwar, currently leader of the third biggest party in Holyrood, said: “Labour will win the next general election.
“And Scotland will deliver the seats to get us over the line. Scotland will elect Keir Starmer as its next Prime Minister.
“Because only Labour can replace the Tories and change lives for the better.”
Turning his focus on the independence movement, he said: “There is nothing progressive about Scottish nationalism. It goes against the values of solidarity and social justice.
“It is an ideology based on what divides us, not what unites us.”
He was introduced by Ian Murray, Labour’s only Scottish MP, who joked he wanted to see the party regain more seats north of the Border so he might have “some friends on the train to London”.
The shadow Scotland secretary, added: “[Sarwar] is the most popular politician in Scotland and is exposing the utterly deplorable record of Nicola Sturgeon every day.”
He added: “There is a clear message from this Labour Party to Scottish voters.
“If you want rid of this Tory government then help us do it.
“If you want a UK Government that works for Scotand then help us elect it.
“If you want away from binary choice of separation versus the broken status quo then help us deliver it.
“Over the last 18 months, the change that has taken place in Scottish Labour is remarkable, and unprecedented.
“In the Scottish Parliament election, we overshot expectations and managed to prevent an SNP majority.
“This May, we beat the Tories and got back into second place.
“And I believe, at that election, Scotland will help elect a Labour government across the UK as we have done so with every Labour government since Attlee in 1945.”
Sarwar also praised the work of Scottish Labour councillors across the country, who were helped into power by Conservative votes to the dismay of the SNP opposition.
Alba's general secretary Chris McEleny said: "Anas Sarwar fluffed his lines in his big conference speech so it’s no surprise he’s fluffing his tenure as the latest leader of Labour's Scottish branch office.
"Working-class heroes like Jimmy Reid supported independence. Independence would give us the power to reject Labour’s illegal wars and Tory rob-from-the-poor-to-give-to-the-rich economics.
"Perhaps it’s too much to ask for millionaires like Anas Sarwar to understand what a movement for social justice looks like.”
