Scottish Labour say they need to concentrate on seats they are unlikely to win in the 2024 general election - because they have the 2026 Scottish Parliament election to think of as well.

Fresh on the back of two massive by-election wins in England, Scottish Labour is holding its annual party conference in Glasgow this weekend.

The party is demanding Prime Minister Rishi Sunak immediately calls a general election, and says they are targeting “many, many seats” in Scotland.

Anas Sarwar and his wife Furheen at the Scottish Labour Party conference. Image: Andrew Milligan/Press Association.

Currently Scottish Labour only have two MPs in Westminster - Ian Murray and Michael Shanks.

However one MSP says they need to concentrate on all areas of Scotland when they are out campaigning as they also want to win the next Holyrood election in two years’ time.

Paul O’Kane, MSP for the West of Scotland, made the comments during a fringe event hosted by the Fabian Society at the party conference.

He said: “The Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election campaign was one of the best campaigns I’ve been involved with in my time at the party.

“It was a real moment of the party being reinvigorated and working towards a central purpose.

“These conversations of persuasion need to be happening in every corner of the country, and beyond just the seats that we know are in our sights.

“That’s because in the Scottish election we are going to be working to a different system.”

Unlike Westminster elections which use the first-past-the-post system, Holyrood elections use a mix of this and proportional representation.

Mr O’Kane says it is possible to “maximise” chances in both the constituency and regional list votes at the 2026 election by putting in the work now.

He added: “That involves us having to be in every community, including in places like the Highlands and the north-east.

“We’re building a case for a UK Labour government and for a Scottish Labour government as well.

“We’ve got the energy, but there is absolutely no room for complacency, and the smallest of margins can make all the difference.”

Deputy party leader Dame Jackie Baillie also spoke at the Fabian Society even, and said this year’s general election is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” that cannot be squandered.

She said she went into 2023 with six target seats in mind, but now has “many, many more seats” set aside as targets in 2024.

Ms Baillie also called on Mr Sunak and the UK Government to immediately call a general election.

She said: “I genuinely do not take anything for granted.

“We need to work really hard for each and every one of those seats, and there are some seats that might not even be target seats just now.

“But goodness me, on a fair day we may just take them.”

She added: “After the two stunning victories overnight, it feels like we’re winning this election one seat at a time.

“I want a general election to happen right now.”

Labour are targeting both the UK and Scottish elections in their campaigning

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