Sarwar warns of ‘dirty tricks’ from Tories and SNP ahead of general election

The SNP and the Tories will resort to “dirty tricks” to cling to power at Holyrood and Westminster, Anas Sarwar warned, as he urged independence supporters north of the border to back his party in the upcoming general election and help with “booting out the Tories” from Downing Street.

Mr Sarwar, however, insisted that that was “just the first step” for his party as he set his sights on recapturing power at Holyrood in the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.

But he warned Labour supporters that both Humza Yousaf’s SNP and Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party “won’t hesitate to get nasty in order to try and keep hold of power”.

Making his first major speech on 2024, Mr Sarwar said: “We have to expect a lot of dirty tricks and attacks from our opponents.”

His comments came at the start of what he said could be a “momentous year in the history of British and Scottish politics”.

Mr Sarwar hailed 2024 as “the year of change” with the general election, which is almost certain to take place before 2025, providing Labour with the “chance to change our country for the better”.

His comments came as he made a direct pitch to independence supporters to back his party in 2024.

While Mr Sarwar was insistent that there is “no majority for a referendum right now”, he added that “every corner of the United Kingdom wants to get rid of the morally bankrupt Tory Government”.

We may ultimately disagree on the final destination for Scotland. But on this part of the journey, let us unite to change our country and get rid of this Tory Government

He called on people to vote Labour “to show you that we can make the UK work for every corner of our country, including here in Scotland” – insisting Scots would benefit from Labour’s green energy policies and reforms to employment laws.

Speaking directly to independence supporters, the Scottish Labour leader said: “We may ultimately disagree on the final destination for Scotland.

“But on this part of the journey, let us unite to change our country and get rid of this Tory Government.”

He insisted that the voters north of the border could “lead the way in booting out the Tories, and helping elect a UK Labour government”.

However, Scottish Labour currently has just two MPs at Westminster – with Mr Sarwar speaking on Monday in Rutherglen, where a dramatic by-election victory in October 2023 saw his party win the seat from the SNP.

And, while he refused to set a target for how many seats his party could win in the general election, he said the vote would “have an impact closer to home – in Holyrood and on the Scottish Government”.

Mr Sarwar promised a Labour government would “reset devolution and take it back to its founding principles”, telling supporters that the “endless, childish squabbles between both two bad governments must come to an end”.

Devolution was never meant to be about two governments fighting with each other and ultimately failing Scots

He also stressed the upcoming general election was “just the first step”, saying that there was also a “chance for change in 2026 with a Scottish Parliament election”.

This, he said, gave Labour the chance to form a “competent government” at Holyrood, as he insisted: “Devolution was never meant to be about two governments fighting with each other and ultimately failing Scots.

“Devolution was always meant to be about Scottish solutions to Scottish problems and two governments working together in the national interest to actually deliver for Scotland.”

This year will see Scottish Labour “ramp up” its work to set out policies it could bring in if elected into power at Holyrood, with Mr Sarwar announcing he will recommence weekly shadow cabinet meetings.

This will see his front bench team increase its efforts towards “setting out a bold vision to reform and renew our country”, he said.

Here he said the “first priority” would be boosting the economy, with Mr Sarwar claiming: “If Scotland’s economy had grown at the same rate as the North West of England, it would be £11.5 billion bigger.

“That is more money to invest in schools, on keeping our streets safe and in our hospitals.”

He said Labour in Scotland would look to reduce taxes for people, but also said action was needed to improve the “broken” NHS.