Glasgow MSP confirms bid for leadership
ANAS Sarwar has confirmed his bid to succeed Richard Leonard as the next Scottish Labour leader. The Glasgow MSP used an article for the Observer online to set out his stall in the leadership race, which was triggered by Leonard’s resignation on Thursday.
He will face a contest, with central Scotland MSP and party health spokeswoman Monica Lennon last night confirming her bid for the position.
Late on Saturday night, Sarwar tweeted to say the country “needs political leadership that will bring people together” and that he wants “to rebuild Scottish Labour, and then rebuild Scotland”.
In his column, Sarwar wrote: “Over the past few years, I have gained a new perspective on our politics and realised that the things we argue about mean little to people’s lives.
“We spend too much time highlighting our differences, rather than focusing on what unites us.
“I firmly believe we cannot go back to society as it was before the pandemic – insecure work, hollowed-out public services, an underfunded health service and the constant focus on another independence referendum, when there’s far more important things we need to be dealing with.
“Scottish Labour can compete again if we offer a positive alternative – a plan to heal our wounds, to reunite our people and to rebuild our country.”
The 37-year-old also discussed the difficulties of speaking out against racism, adding: “But I’ve used that experience to spend my time in our communities working on what unites us and bringing people together – I have listened and I have learnt.
“I want to bring that same approach to our Labour movement so that we can rebuild our party and rebuild our country.”
The party’s executive has agreed to a condensed timescale for any contest with the Holyrood elections less than four months away.
The last Scottish Labour leadership contest in 2017 – when Leonard defeated Sarwar – took twoand-a-half months.
Other candidates had until midnight last night to declare their intention to run and will require support from at least four of the party’s MSPs or its sole Scottish MP by midday tomorrow to be formally nominated.
Party members and affiliated supporters will be able to cast their votes from Tuesday, February 9, until ballots close on Friday, February 26, with the new leader to be announced the following day.