Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar admits he needs to convince regions beyond the central belt there’s a credible jobs and skills plan if he wants to become first minister.
In an exclusive interview for The Stooshie – the politics podcast from DC Thomson – Mr Sarwar made clear his ambition, but accepted there’s a long road ahead to rebuild the party.
Speaking on the eve of his party’s conference in Glasgow, the MSP reflected on his year in charge, claimed he can be the next first minister and committed Labour to keeping Scotland in the UK.
He insisted there is an economic plan to ease employment from fossil fuel reliance to renewables.
He set out an ambition to make regions like the Western Isles a powerhouse for skills and industry.
And he opened up on his personal experience of racism and efforts to stamp out bigotry in society.
To be blunt, we’ve got to do the hard work.
– Anas Sarwar
But first, Mr Sarwar said he has to show a country which used to vote Labour in droves that he can beat rivals.
“Just like I say to Keir Starmer and the UK Labour party there is no route back to a UK government that doesn’t run through Scotland, there is no route back for a Scottish Labour government that doesn’t run through the north-east,” he said.
“To be blunt, we’ve got to do the hard work.”
In our interview, he admitted the party has been in tough times.
It was only a year ago the Greens were polling higher.
He joked about having the “luxury” of factionalism in a party more used to defeatism.
“Our challenge is how we turn likeability to electability,” he said.
Windfall taxes and inequality
On the battle for votes in Aberdeen and the wider north-east, he said it’s time to push bolder policies including a windfall tax on oil.
He hopes former Labour minister Brian Wilson can help with a new blueprint for skills.
Labour MP Lisa Nandy will set out how areas of inequality will be addressed.
“I don’t think we have two governments that understand the economy,” Mr Sarwar said.
“Look at the ferry infrastructure – a complete missed opportunity.
“Look at the Scot Wind project – yes, fantastic, we’ve got £700m of receipts over 10 years. But where was the hard work for an economic plan so we built the companies, the supply chains so we can actually benefit from that project to bring down bills?”
He suggested setting up companies to build turbines in the Western Isles. The University of the Highlands and Islands could be upgraded, he said, allowing people to get an engineering degree there, get a manufacturing job and stay in the community.
Speaking to Courier editor David Clegg, Mr Sarwar also described the personal battles he’s had with racism on the route to leading Labour to a better place.
“It was a dark period of my life,” he said.
“The last year has been interesting in that I’ve stepped away a lot from some of the darker side of social media feeds.
“There was a couple examples of racist or Islamophobic incidents in the election campaign but the overwhelming response when I’ve been out and about has been warm.
“We have got a dark side in our country we should not be shy about exposing but fundamentally as a nation we still have a view where it doesn’t matter where you come from, you’re one of us.”
Time to tackle social media bullies
At the party conference he’s expected to say more on tackling social media and places where bigotry finds a platform.
Without “meaningful” action on bigotry at this stage, people will think an opportunity has been missed.
“For a lot of children, if home was difficult, school was the respite,” he said.
“If school was difficult, home was the respite.
“With the advent of our phones and apps and social media feeds, there is no respite. The bully follows you.”
Listen to the full episode of The Stooshie special interview with Anas Sarwar and previous editions here.