Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has claimed Nigel Farage’s Reform UK “can’t beat” the SNP before issuing a direct plea to GB News viewers.
Ahead of next May’s Scottish Parliament Election, Mr Sarwar sat down with GB News host Gloria De Piero to discuss his upcoming ambitions for the pivotal moment for Scotland.
Scots will be heading to the polls for the first time since Reform UK snatched hundreds of wards from both the Tories and Labour in the 2025 Local Elections.
Stressing the importance of the upcoming Holyrood elections, Mr Sarwar told GB News: “They’re choosing who the First Minister is, and that decision is going to decide the future of your local school, your local hospital, your local GP services, policing in our communities, housing and so many other things that are the sole responsibility of the SNP who have completely decimated parts of Scotland.
“Reform can’t beat the SNP. The Liberal Democrats can’t beat the SNP. The Tories can’t beat the SNP.”
“Only two people can be First Minister the day after the Scottish Parliament election are John Swinney or me.”
Making a direct appeal to GB News viewers, Mr Sarwar added: “We have an opportunity in six months’ time to finally rid Scotland of an SNP Government that’s done so much damage to it – the first opportunity in 20 years.
“So, we need your help, we need your support to make that happen. You might not agree with every policy. You might not agree with parts of what’s happening in the rest of the UK.
“But this is an opportunity Scotland can’t afford to miss. And I will work with anyone and everyone to make sure Scotland goes in that more positive, new direction.”
The Scottish Labour leader forecast that Labour would dethrone the SNP in Holyrood
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Mr Sarwar’s firm claims came just days after the Conservatives kept a grip of its seat on Dumfries and Galloway Council in a Stranraer and the Rhins by-election – despite Reform UK taking home the most first-preference votes.
With the populist party hot on the Tories’ heels – receiving 38.7 per cent of the vote – Glasgow Councillor Thomas Kerr still lauded the outcome as a “historic result”.
Pressed on whether it would be easier for him if Sir Keir Starmer or Rachel Reeves were not in office, he said: “Well, I don’t think there was any route for Labour to win in 2026 if we hadn’t won in 2024.
“We had to get rid of a Tory Government that was doing so much damage.
Polling has revealed that a 18 per cent had a favourable view of Mr Sarwar
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“We had to demonstrate Labour could win again. But I think if there is a criticism I would make of this UK Labour Government it is one, it’s not shouted about its successes.”
But damning opinion polling from Ipsos Scotland back in September revealed a “grim reading for Labour”, with 80 per cent of respondents not having a favourable view of the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, a meagre 18 per cent had a favourable view of Mr Sarwar.
The data gurus found that the Prime Minister, Scottish Labour leader and the party overall had received the worst popularity ratings ever since their records began back in 2022.
Managing director of the polling company Emily Gray added: “Meanwhile Nigel Farage and Reform UK are on the rise in Scotland, potentially benefiting from the Scottish public’s desire for change – a majority say that Scotland needs a fresh team of leaders.”
Nevertheless, Mr Sarwar remains optimistic in the face of the negative polling, telling Gloria: “I’m really confident when that choice is put in front of people in Scotland, they’ll vote for that new direction.
“So we’re kind of like the Scotland team qualifying for the World Cup. The underdog, always talked down but got over the line and made history, qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.
“Labour is going to do the same, winning for the first time in 20 years in Scotland.”
The SNP has been in power since 2007, when the nationalist party grasped a minority Government, later winning an outright majority in 2011.