Anas Sarwar sets out vision to unite country in first PPB of his leadership

In the film released ahead of Holyrood elections, Sarwar pledges to work towards giving voters “the Scottish Labour Party you deserve” and “we’ve got to create a better future for the country we love and we need to do that now”.

He says: “We can’t come through the collective trauma of Covid, and go back to the old arguments, fighting each other while our NHS loses out on funding, our children miss out on a world-class education and our towns and cities watch on as jobs move overseas.”

Paying tribute to historical Scottish Labour Party figures from Donald Dewar and Keir Hardie to Gordon Brown, he says “our party’s history was founded on the strength of the Scottish people – and that is where its future lies too”.

Sarwar is expected to tell the public: “Instead of focusing on division, we will lead a Covid recovery parliament.” His plan will have “an NHS restart plan at its heart, so we never again have to choose between treating a virus or treating cancer”.

“We will set out a catch-up plan for our children. I won’t let a generation of young people go forgotten. And we will set out a real vision for jobs – for now, and for the future, supporting good businesses, to create good jobs.

“The task ahead of us is tough, but together there is nothing we cannot achieve. The Labour Party has to change, and that change starts now,” Sarwar declares in the Scottish Labour PPB.

“I want us to focus on what unites us as a country – not what divides us. I want us to focus on building a Covid recovery – not returning to the same old arguments. We can, and will, build a better future for Scotland.”

Communicating his own story to the electorate, the UK’s first Muslim to lead a major political party says: “My grandfather came to Lossiemouth 75 years ago with nothing – searching for a better future. And he found one here.

“He was always meant to return back home, but instead fell in love with Scotland, and brought up his own family here. 75 years on from that boat arriving on these shores, he never would have thought his grandson would one day be leading the Labour movement in Scotland.”

On Monday evening, Sarwar addressed Labour MPs in Westminster. He said: “I have been brutally honest with the people of Scotland – you haven’t had the party you deserve.

The newly elected leader of Scottish Labour, who was chosen by members on Saturday, this week unveiled appointments to a ‘campaign cabinet’ that will lead the party into the Holyrood elections taking place on May 6th.

Monica Lennon, Sarwar’s rival in the leadership election, was given a prominent role as Scottish Labour’s ‘economy and fair work’ spokesperson, and Jackie Baillie took on the health, social care and equalities brief.

Nicola Sturgeon gave evidence to Holyrood’s harassment complaints inquiry today. The SNP First Minister of Scotland has come under pressure in recent weeks over claims she misled parliament and breached the ministerial code.