‘Scotland’s choice’: Anas Sarwar launches Scottish Labour’s Holyrood campaign in New Year speech

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has kickstarted his party’s campaign for the Holyrood election in May, pitching the contest as a choice between a third decade of SNP failure or new leadership.

In a New Year speech in Edinburgh, Sarwar sought to draw a line between himself and the Labour government and stressed the election is “not a verdict on two years of a UK Labour government that this election won’t replace [but] a verdict on two decades on an SNP government you can now replace.”

While he said Keir Starmer’s government had accomplished “meaningful achievements which they need to shout louder about”, Sarwar acknowledged that “they haven’t got everything right – and there are many challenges they still must confront”.

“I know the Prime Minister and the UK Labour government are not popular with the public right now. So, I am not running to be Scotland’s First Minister in denial of that truth. I am running to be Scotland’s First Minister in defiance of it.

“Because over the next four months I will be making a case to the people of Scotland that, despite what John Swinney and the SNP tell you, this election is not about Keir Starmer, Westminster or Nigel Farage. It’s about Scotland.”

READ MORE: ‘Tribune – standing between the elite and the people’

While he said Scottish Labour start the year as “underdogs”, his message to the SNP and others was clear: “Underestimate me… at your peril.”

“I am not daunted by the challenge. We are up for the fight, and we are determined to win.”

Sarwar revealed the party had accrued a £1 million war chest for the Holyrood election, with plans to have one million conversations with voters between now and election day.

“Every penny will be used to make clear Scotland’s choice this May. A third decade of SNP failure with John Swinney as First Minister, or new energy, new ideas and new leadership for Scotland with me as First Minister.”

Sarwar hit out at the SNP for their poor record on waiting lists, their “soft touch” on crime and failing standards in schools.

“I refuse to accept this is as good as it gets,” he said.

“Our economy can be better than this. Our public services can be better than this. Our politics can be better than this. Scotland can be better than this.”

He also challenged SNP leader and current First Minister John Swinney to head-to-head First Minister debates in every region of Scotland.

READ MORE: ‘Forget New Year – for Labour, discipline done well has to be their year-long resolution’

While he also criticised Reform, Swinney made clear that a vote for Farage’s party would “help the SNP win”.

“The truth is Nigel Farage does not care about Scotland. He does not understand Scotland and he does not want to fix Scotland.

“We must confront the reasons pushing people towards Reform. When people feel ignored, when services fail, and when trust drains away, it creates space for those who want to divide us.

“I know people are angry and frustrated. I will never dismiss people’s fears or sneer at their concerns. But I will never exploit them either.

“Instead, my promise to each and every one of you is this: I will do the hard work and earn your trust.”

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