Scottish Labour leader role is not a target
ANAS SARWAR says he has no ambitions to become the leader of Scottish Labour.
When he first announced his intention to win a seat at Holyrood, he was the Scottish Labour party’s Deputy Leader and MP for Glasgow Central.
He was widely tipped as a future leader and as such Holyrood was the place to be.
A seat in 2016 was always the target but circumstances were different back in 2011.
Much has changed since then and his boss, Johann Lamont, gave way in 2014 after the referendum for Jim Murphy and Mr Sarwar stepped aside to allow Kezia Dugdale to be deputy and keep the Westminster -Holyrood balance.
That was when Labour still had Scottish MPs, in the plural sense.
When Mr Murphy resigned, Ms Dugdale then made the step up from deputy to leader and Mr Sarwar lost his seat.
Now he’s back, but he says he is not thinking about being leader and is committed to working under Ms Dugdale.
He said: “I’m in my dream job just now. Doing the health portfolio.
“My first job was in the NHS as a dentist. As it was put to me, the Labour Party gave birth to the NHS, we are its parents.
“There might be other custodians, but we are still its parents and I want to see the way we do health be fit for purpose for the 21st century.”
He added: “I am enjoying that role and I’m pleased Kez has given me it and that’s what I’m focusing my energy on.”
Looking ahead to 2021 he said: “I want to see Kez Dugdale as First Minister and me as Health Secretary.”