Sarwar sets target for Labour being reinstated as ‘credible alternative’ to SNP

ANAS Sarwar has set his sights on returning Labour to a “credible alternative” to the SNP in the next five years as he set out his frontbench team, little more than 10 weeks before leading his party into May’s Holyrood election.

Mr Sarwar has challenged his party to “get as many seats as possible” in May but is under no illusion he is “in this for the longhaul” to rebuild his party over the next parliamentary term.

The Labour leader has revealed that his predecessor, Richard Leonard, turned down an invitation to join his front bench team.

He said that looking ahead to May’s election, he wants his party to be “established as the credible opposition in Scotland” and “would like to see us stop an SNP majority”.

Mr Sarwar’s “campaign cabinet” is made up of MSPS standing for re-election and candidates the party hopes will win election to Holyrood in what the new leader described as “pulling together all the best talents across the movement”.

Iain Gray and Claudia Beamish have been removed from the frontbench in the shake-up but Daniel Johnson has been named finance spokesperson and North East Scotland candidate Michael Marra have been drafted in to hold his party’s education brief.

Deputy leader Jackie Baillie is taking on the health and social care brief from Monica Lennon who was defeated by Mr Sarwar in the leadership contest.

Ms Lennon remains in Mr Sarwar’s frontbench, taking on the role of economy and fair work spokesperson.

Sarah Boyack has replaced Claudia Beamish as the party’s environment spokesperson.

Alex Rowley has been named Labour’s transport spokesperson, Pauline Mcneill takes on Ms Boyack’s former role as local government and communities spokesperson.

Mr Sarwarsaid: “The pathway I want to take the Labour party on is survival to relevance to credible opposition to credible alternative.

“I think that is a pathway that is probably going to take longer than 10 weeks, but it is a pathway that we can deliver on in the next five years.

“I do want us to be a credible opposition and I do think we can stop an SNP majority.”

Mr Sarwar has also appealed to Labour MPS to help the party regain trust north of the border.

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), he said: “Following Keir Starmer’s election as our UK leader last year, our party is now regaining the trust of the British people.

“Nowhere is that more important than in Scotland, because the path to a Labour Government across the UK runs through Scotland.

“But Scottish Labour’s path to recovery also relies on the UK Labour Party winning back the trust of the Scottish people.

“That means respecting that decisions on Scottish policy will always be made by Scottish Labour, just as decisions on Welsh policy will be made in Wales.”