Anas Sarwar has described being Scottish Labour leader as the "hardest job in British politics" and urged those vying to succeed him to "look out for each other."
Speaking to comedian and podcaster Matt Forde at the Edinburgh Fringe, the former MSP declined to endorse any of the three candidates bidding to replace him. Sarwar resigned abruptly last month after being offered a peerage by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, enabling him to become Minister for Trade in the UK Government.
Heartbreak over election defeat
Sarwar told Forde he was still "heartbroken" at failing to become First Minister in May's Holyrood election, which saw Scottish Labour record its worst result in the devolution era. He admitted the party struggled to "cut through" during the spring campaign, when the news agenda was dominated by the US and Israel's military attack on Iran and the Peter Mandelson scandal.
The party has not won a Scottish Parliament election since 2003. Members are now deciding between Michael Marra, Joe Fagan, and Monica Lennon for the next leader.
Advice to successors
Sarwar said: "So often, I heard people say the hardest job in British politics is being the leader of the UK Labour party in opposition. Honestly, hand on heart, because I did it for five years, the hardest job in British politics is being leader of Scottish Labour. For so many reasons."
He added: "That's why I'm not going to be one of those former Scottish Labour leaders that's publicly giving advice all the time. The best thing you can do to support someone in that job is be available to them to give advice, be supportive of them, and if they ask you to help, you help them. But don't be a public commentator for them."
No endorsement
Sarwar said he would not endorse any candidate but described the three MSPs as "able, talented individuals." He advised all three and the 17 Labour MSPs: "Your relationship with each other, your ability to work with each other, and to look out for each other, is going to be crucial."
He denied being offered the role of Secretary of State for Scotland by Burnham and insisted his political ambition had been to return Labour to power at Holyrood. "I'm still absolutely heartbroken at the election result," he said. "I'm heartbroken we weren't able to persuade people in Scotland to give us a chance. Because I still believe to my core that Scotland needs something different - a different government with different priorities."
He continued: "We weren't able to cut through the noise and make our own case. But, that's democracy, people made their choice, and we have to respect that. I had one ambition, and that was to be First Minister. Because genuinely, I wanted something different in Scotland."
