Scottish Labour conference speech: How Sarwar plans ‘bold, meaningful change’

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has kickstarted next year’s Holyrood election campaign with a raft of policy commitments and pledges to “unlock Scotland’s potential” after almost two decades of SNP rule.

Addressing delegates at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow, Sarwar criticised the SNP’s 17 years in power for holding back Scotland, describing them as “tired and out of ideas” and hit out at their record on the NHS, the economy and government waste.

He also unveiled plans to launch a Department of Government Efficiency to secure value for money for taxpayers from Holyrood, announced he would pass a Local Democracy Act to roll out directly-elected mayors across Scotland, and pledged to ban mobile phones in classrooms to keep children safe at school.

Sarwar also revealed a commitment to end rough sleeping in Scotland “once and for all”, “deliver the homes Scots need” by building more social housing across the country and a “fundamental aim” to end poverty in Scotland.

READ MORE: Interview: Ian Murray on the latest polls, pat leave and Labour ‘not aping Reform’

In the first conference since the general election victory in July, Sarwar said that Labour defied the polls and pundits to return Labour to government with 37 MPs in Scotland.

“Scotland didn’t just play its part, Scotland led the way in getting rid of the rotten Labour government.”

In a ralling call for activists and supporters for the election next year, he said: “Scottish Labour is on the pitch and I am confident that we will defy the odds again and win in May 2026.”

In his “application to be the next First Minister of Scotland”, Sarwar pledged to unlock the potential of the nation, charting a new direction for the country and tackling child poverty.

On the NHS, Sarwar said he would make cutting the backlog a “day one priority” and would declare a “national waiting times emergency”.

“I will do whatever it takes to fix our NHS,” Sarwar said, with a pledge to end bureaucracy in the health service and ensure patients can be seen by a GP within 48 hours.

READ MORE: Scottish Labour chiefs lose conference vote for biology-based single-sex spaces

He also promised to make the NHS fit for the future by embracing technology and said: “I will be a digital first First Minister – no more analogue John.”

Sarwar hit out at the ferries scandal which has seen millions wasted by the Scottish government and said that the SNP were “addicted to wasting your money”.

He promised to end SNP waste and unveiled plans for a Scottish Department of Government Efficiency, similar to the department headed by Elon Musk in the United States.

To boost growth, Sarwar said that a Labour administration would deliver rates relief for businesses and reinvigorate high streets by making online giants “pay their fair share”.

He also promised to unlock the potential of communities across the nation and ending the “Holyrood knows best culture” with a Local Democracy Act, to grant areas across Scotland their own directly-elected mayors, praising the success of devolution for Manchester.

He added: “I am standing to be Scotland’s First Minister. And I have set some out the bold actions I will take. No more tinkering around the edges, no more passing the buck, no more sticking plasters. Big, bold, meaningful change.”

Read more on Scottish Labour conference:

• Interview: Ian Murray on the latest polls, pat leave and Labour ‘not aping Reform’
• Scottish Labour chiefs lose conference vote for biology-based single-sex spaces
• Joani Reid MP: ‘Here’s why Scottish Labour shouldn’t despair at the polls’
• Delegates at Scottish Labour conference set to debate motions on winter fuel, Cass review, and others
• Scottish Labour conference: Emergency motion on Palestine to be debated
• Scottish Labour conference speech: Sarwar vows ‘big, bold meaningful change’

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