Anas Sarwar has accused SNP leadership candidates of having no mandate to govern Scotland and challenged the winner to hold a Holyrood election.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail, the Labour leader warned of a “chaotic and divided administration with the wheels coming off” in the face of a deepening cost-of-living and NHS crisis. He dismissed Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former community safety minister Ash Regan as “woeful” replacements for Nicola Sturgeon as first minister and insisted: “I’ll take any of them.”
He said: “I remember the SNP rightly questioning the Conservative Party’s mandate when there appeared to be a revolving door at Downing Street. Now we have a revolving door at Bute House and I question the mandate and authority of whoever becomes the next SNP leader. The candidates are desperately trying to distance themselves from the record of the outgoing leadership while trashing commitments made.
“I’m always excited about an election, I’m excited for the next general election and I’d also be happy to go to the Scottish people and ask them to judge who they want to lead the Scottish Government. Nicola Sturgeon is a formidable politician and communicator but I don’t think anyone’s saying that about any of these candidates.”
In a withering put-down of all three, he said: “Do I prefer the economically illiterate Ash Regan, the economic conservative and social conservative Kate Forbes or the incompetent and failing Humza Yousaf? The answer is I’ll take any of the three. I’ve got respect that they’re putting themselves forward but, let’s be honest, the options are woeful. It might be the best talent the SNP has to offer but it’s not the best talent Scotland has – that’s why we’re determined to build an alternative.”
Sturgeon and former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford both demanded a Westminster election in the wake of Rishi Sunak becoming Prime Minister, citing his lack of a mandate. Despite those calls, leadership frontrunner Yousaf has insisted there is “no need” for a snap election in Scotland.
But Sarwar said: “The Holyrood election in 2021 was a pandemic election and Nicola Sturgeon was seen as being at the forefront of that. She promised to be there to lead us through the recovery but that recovery never started and we have been plunged into a cost-of-living crisis while the NHS remains on its knees.
“Now she has stepped aside and a new leader is going to come in. It’s getting clearer by the day that we have an SNP in decline, a party more interested in talking to itself about itself.” Sarwar insisted he would focus on rebuilding the economy and health service if he were to become first minister.
He said: “You won’t see a hint of complacency from the Scottish Labour Party. I have never bought into a view that, just because the wheels are coming off the bus of our political opponents, voters will automatically vote for Labour. There are two big crises facing our country now – an economic crisis which is causing a cost-of-living crisis and an NHS crisis.
“People are worried about paying the bills, putting food on the table and their loved ones getting the doctor’s appointment or operation they need. But instead of focusing on this, we have a chaotic Government rife with division. I’m determined to convince people we can strengthen our economy, get more money into people’s pockets and rebuild and renew our NHS.
“I believe we can have a Labour government in Westminster and Holyrood and the sooner it happens, the better. We have to be worthy of people’s trust. We have to earn their trust with humility and energy and by taking them with us.” The leadership election so far has been dominated by questions over religious beliefs after Forbes said she would not have voted in favour of equal marriage due to her faith.
Yousaf has also faced criticism for missing a key vote on the issue and has been forced to deny allegations it was due to pressure from religious leaders. Sarwar added: “I don’t think it’s right to question whether someone of faith can be in politics or not or to question individuals about what might be perceived as the rights and wrongs of any individual faith. I think it’s perfectly legitimate to question people on their individual positions and their individual policies.
“We have made immense strides in Scotland and the UK in terms of social rights and challenging prejudice and hate.But anyone who thinks that is a done deal is completely wrong. We still have a huge way to go to challenge racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, all other forms of prejudice. I’ve always worked very closely with our LGBT community to challenge homophobia and I have a very good relationship with the LGBT grouping in our own political party.
“You only really get a right to ask people to join you and support you in your fight for equality if you’re willing to support other people in their fight for equality. I want people from an LGBT background to support me in my fight against racism and Islamophobia. It’s perfectly reasonable in return for them to say, ‘I expect you to support us in our fight against homophobia.’
“I live by a value system that says everybody in society should have the equal opportunity in life regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, social background, faith, the colour of their skin. It’s a fundamental Labour principle.” An SNP in decline could open the door to no party gaining overall control at a Holyrood election. Sarwar added: “The SNP showed you can run an effective minority government, then win by a bigger margin. I’m ready for an election any time.”
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