Scottish Labour defiant on promise of change as Anas Sarwar accuses SNP of ‘holding back’ Scotland

Scottish Labour figures are set to promise change is coming to Scotland and accuse the SNP of holding the country back, as the party seeks to move on from the row over gifts to senior MPs.

Anas Sarwar will tell the Labour party conference the country has “enormous potential and is brimming with talent”, but that it needs fresh leadership and new ideas.

Activists, delegates and MPs in Liverpool will also hear from the Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, who will set out how growing the economy will help tackle the “scourge of poverty”.

Their interventions come after an unusual start to the conference, that saw the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer send his deputy Angela Rayner to do the morning news round, amid ongoing controversy around donations and questions about the Prime Minister’s chief of staff.

Ms Rayner yesterday denied breaking any Commons rules over a stay in a flat owned by Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli while on holiday in New York. She also said she understood why people were “frustrated” and “angry” but said donations had been “a feature of our politics for a very long time”.

In a speech on Monday, Mr Sarwar will tell delegates that the story of Labour’s revival is “only half-written”.

He is expected to say: “It is clear that Scotland is crying out for change after years of SNP and Tory failure.

“We might have got rid of one incompetent government at the general election, but in Scotland another incompetent government remains in power.

“Scotland is a country of enormous potential and is brimming with talent.

“But we are still held back by an SNP government that is failing Scots on a daily basis and that has nothing but decline and division to offer the people.”

Mr Sarwar will say that nearly one in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list, that the education attainment gap remains and that economic growth has flatlined.

He will also say that drug and alcohol deaths remain “stubbornly high” and that rough sleeping persists while homelessness is at record levels.

The Scottish Labour leader will tell delegates: “When Scotland most needs change, fresh leadership and new ideas – all the SNP offers is internal division and outward incompetence.

“The same tired people in power peddling the same old excuses.

“Frankly, it’s time up for the SNP.

“They are a party that has lost their vision and lost their way.”

His call to arms followed an admission on Sunday that the party had lost a “generation of talent” after years in the wilderness, and promising to develop fresh Labour talent for Holyrood.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer missed the morning broadcast round.

Appearing at a Labour Friends of Scotland Fringe, Mr Sarwar said: “The reality is we have got a fantastic group but we have to massively increase the size of our group if we’re going to win in 2026. I genuinely believe in the skills and the size of our talents. The challenge we have is inspiring people with those skills and talents to come forward and want to be candidates. When we started the early selection for our Westminster candidates, we probably had two or three a seat coming forward, but towards the end we had 12 to 14. 

“One of the jobs that’s a key part of my role is.. developing the pipeline of new Scottish Labour talent. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we’ve lost a generation of talent who decided to go and do something else with their lives.”In a sign of Scottish Labour’s resurgent fortunes, the Labour fringe was completely full, with new Scottish Labour MPs and activists standing up outside to try and listen.

Monday will also see the conference hear from Ian Murray, who will outline to delegates the four pillars which he pledges will drive the work of the Scotland Office: economic growth, green energy, Brand Scotland and tackling poverty. 

Paraphrasing Gordon Brown’s “prudence with a purpose’ mantra, Mr Murray will pledge ‘growth with a purpose’ – to raise wages, deliver secure work and give every Scot the opportunity to succeed. 

He is expected to say: “The Scotland Office has four priorities to help deliver Keir Starmer's missions for national renewal. Economic growth. Green energy. Brand Scotland. And Tackling Poverty.

“I want to see the Scotland Office working directly with the devolved government and local governments in Scotland to drive economic growth in our communities. 

“Powering that growth will be our green prosperity plan to create jobs and ensure our existing world class energy workforce can lead and benefit from these new industries of the future.

“Starting with GB Energy, owned by the public, and headquartered in Scotland.

“We will also drive growth by promoting Brand Scotland.

“From shipbuilding, science and salmon to scotch, culture and services, we’re the best in the world, and by selling Scotland to the world we will unlock jobs and investment.

“Gordon Brown once spoke of prudence with a purpose.

“And all that work to grow our economy, to go green, and promote our brand, has a purpose too - to tackle the scourge of poverty.

“To raise wages, protect and invest in public services and ensure everyone in life has the security of good work and the opportunity to succeed.”

Speaking the day after an Opinium poll revealed that Starmer’s approval rating has plunged below that of the Tory leader Rishi Sunak, Mr Murray also reaffirmed the party had a plan. He said: “It is a plan which will begin to deliver the change Scotland needs - and set the conditions for success in five hundred-and ninety-two-days' time - when the people of Scotland will have the chance to vote for change.

“To elect a Labour government in Scotland which works with Keir Starmer’s government and make Anas Sarwar our next First Minister.”

Speaking at a “Scots night” event yesterday evening, Ms Rayner told supporters there was still work to do. She said: “There’s more to do because we’ve won a general election, and now need to make sure we deliver for the people of Scotland.

“Secure work and housing are the two of the key pillars for people to be able to get on in life.

“This Labour Government, working with a Labour administration in Scotland can achieve so much more, the United Kingdom working together to make sure working class people are at the heart of our Government.”

SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown said the Scottish Labour leader “must think people in Scotland are zipped up the back” if he believes they will vote for his party, which he said is inflicting “billions of pounds of cuts on Scotland whilst lining their own pockets with donations and freebies”.

He added: “The only person Scottish Labour is delivering for is Keir Starmer – meanwhile Labour is cutting winter fuel payments for over 800,000 pensioners, pushing over 87,000 children into poverty by failing to scrap the two child limit and hammering Scotland’s public services by continuing Westminster austerity cuts.

“It’s no wonder the Labour Party is collapsing in the polls as voters can see they are simply picking up where the Tories left off.

“The SNP will continue to demonstrate why we are the only party who can be trusted to deliver a better future for Scotland by using the limited powers of devolution to improve the lives of people across Scotland and deliver of their priorities.”

Elsewhere at conference, the Labour leadership faces a battle over cuts to winter fuel payments as trade unions push for the policy to be reversed.

Delegates are expected to debate Labour’s economic plans on Monday, with the decision to remove winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners set to feature.

The exact wording of the motion delegates will vote on will be determined on Sunday night, but trade unions Unite and the Communication Workers Union have put forward proposals calling for the policy to be scrapped.