Things likely to get worse for Labour and Anas Sarwar before they get better as culture questioned

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has been reduced to fighting fires on multiple fronts.

He has been cleverly snookered by the Scottish Budget delivered by the SNP Government. The surprise announcement in Shona Robison’s Budget was a pledge to axe the two-child benefit cap in Scotland by 2026.

And while Labour critics pointed towards the lack of funding in the 2025/26 Budget to deliver on the pledge, it did leave Mr Sarwar in the position of knowing if his party doesn’t vote for the package, they are effectively voting in principle against ending the cap.

First Minister John Swinney (left) has seen the SNP gain in the polls, while Anas Sarwar's Scottish Labour has slipped

With Mr Sarwar having himself said he would like the cap immediately axed – despite that position having been in contrast to the one set by UK Labour – he is now boxed in politically.

Added to that, Sir Keir Starmer indicating on Friday he would work “constructively” with SNP ministers to end the two-child benefit cap in Scotland has ripped any political momentum from under Mr Sarwar's feet.

Further to this is some worrying polling for Scottish Labour, with figures published yesterday showing the SNP surging to 37 per cent of the constituency vote, while Mr Sarwar’s party slumped to 21 per cent.

Mr Sarwar has also had to increasingly defend party culture north of the Border.

Yesterday he was quizzed on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show about the allegations surrounding Cammy Day – the Edinburgh City Council leader – who is accused of sending sexually explicit messages to Ukrainian refugees.

Mr Sarwar described the allegations as “deeply distressing”.

The timing could not be worse, with the Scottish Labour leader having been forced to rebuff questions only a week ago over whether his party has a culture issue, following the separate arrests of two senior councillors.

Councillor Day is widely expected to resign as leader ahead of a vote set down for Tuesday.

With UK Labour similarly in the doldrums, as another poll yesterday put the party behind Reform UK, Mr Sarwar is looking like he has a mountain to climb.

The honeymoon is well and truly over.