Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is attempting to distance himself from Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a bid to revive his party's flagging fortunes ahead of the Scottish parliament elections. With polls showing Scottish Labour trailing in third place behind the SNP and Reform UK, Sarwar has called for Starmer to stand aside, a move that has divided opinion among voters.
A focus group of 2024 Labour voters in Glasgow's southside expressed deep dissatisfaction with the Labour government's early performance and frustration with the SNP's record. Many described feeling weary of what they termed 'scandal after scandal' in public life. One participant, Alex, a betting shop manager, captured the mood: 'People look at Holyrood and think: let's give them all a bloody nose.'
Sarwar's decision to publicly break with Starmer, whom he considers a close friend, was initially seen as part of internal UK Labour plotting. However, party insiders now believe the move could prove strategically astute, allowing Sarwar to focus attention on the SNP's record and frame the election as a choice between himself and First Minister John Swinney.
Some focus group participants responded positively to Sarwar's leadership credentials, but others described his attack on Starmer as 'backstabbing'. SNP strategists remain concerned that despite Westminster turmoil, the party's ratings are stuck in the 30s, with a YouGov survey putting the SNP on 34%, Reform UK on 20%, and Scottish Labour on 15%.
Reform UK's Scottish campaign team reports a 'scunner factor' among voters disillusioned with both major parties. However, many 2024 Labour supporters now describe themselves as undecided rather than committed to another party, offering a glimmer of hope for Sarwar's campaign. As one focus group participant noted: 'No one is popular with voters right now.'
