Anas Sarwar, the former leader of Scottish Labour, has described the role as “the hardest job in British politics” – harder even than leading the UK Labour Party in opposition. Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe in his first public appearance since stepping down as an MSP, Sarwar reflected on his five-year tenure, which ended after a disappointing May election result that saw Labour drop to just 17 seats in the Scottish Parliament.
Sarwar was subsequently elevated to the House of Lords by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and appointed as a trade minister. He told comedian Matt Forde that Scottish Labour struggled during the spring campaign to communicate its vision, while also being hampered by scandals affecting Sir Keir Starmer’s UK government.
Three MSPs are vying to replace him: Michael Marra, Joe Fagan, and Monica Lennon, though Lennon has yet to secure enough nominations to appear on the final ballot. Sarwar declined to endorse any candidate but issued a stern warning against infighting, urging contenders to think about the “day after” the leadership race rather than just the contest itself. He stressed that the ability of the 17 MSPs to work together and support each other would be crucial.
Meanwhile, Monica Lennon – who is set to return to Holyrood to fill Sarwar’s vacancy – wrote in the Sunday Mail that the leadership race is about finding the party’s “missing soul”. She argued that Labour has lost sight of its roots and struggles to place itself in Scotland’s future, but insisted that this identity crisis need not be the end of the story, adding that people still need the party.