Anas Sarwar has declined to comment on whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should face a leadership challenge if Labour performs poorly in Thursday's elections. The Scottish Labour leader instead emphasised that his sole focus is on removing John Swinney from office, not on potential Westminster upheaval.
Polls suggest Labour could suffer significant losses in the devolved parliament elections in Scotland and Wales, as well as in English local council contests. However, Mr Sarwar insisted his attention is fixed on the Holyrood ballot.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has criticised what he describes as "squabbling" and "political infighting" within the UK Government, likening prospective candidates vying to succeed Sir Keir Starmer to "auditions for Labour Party Celebrity Traitors".
Speculation has mounted that UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner could all be considering launching a leadership bid against the Prime Minister.
Mr Sarwar, who has previously called on the Prime Minister to step down, made clear his priority is Thursday's Holyrood election, not any Westminster manoeuvring.
Despite a poll on Monday indicating Labour could drop to just 13 MSPs at Holyrood, Mr Sarwar said: "I'm entirely convinced this election isn't over." He added that Labour's internal figures are better than they were in last year's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, which the party won, and are "going up".
Mr Sarwar went on to say that 38 of the 73 Holyrood constituency seats are "on a knife edge" and could "decide this election".
When pressed on why people should vote Labour given the party is in "chaos" at Westminster, he said: "Scotland is in chaos under an SNP government, we need a new government and only I can deliver that new government. I don't care about what's happening at Westminster or Westminster politicians, I'm only focused on Scotland. All I care about is Scotland's schools, Scotland's hospitals."
Speaking while campaigning in Bathgate, West Lothian, Mr Sarwar continued: "This election in Scotland is about removing John Swinney as First Minister and changing the occupant of Bute House. I care only about what happens in Scotland, because this election is about our schools, our hospitals, our public services. It's about our local businesses, our towns, cities, villages and islands and I don't want another decade of SNP rule inflicted on this great country."
The Scottish Labour leader added: "If you want to know what is happening in Wales go talk to those in Wales, if you want to know what is happening in England go talk to those in England. I'm standing to be first minister of Scotland, that is my focus and removing John Swinney from office, beating the SNP, rejecting the poison of Reform and changing Scotland is all I am interested in."
His message to Scots ahead of May 7 was: "In three days time we have the opportunity to change the government in Scotland. If you want to reject the poison of Reform, if you want to beat the SNP, and if you want to change Scotland, there is only one route to that change and that is a vote for me and Scottish Labour."
