Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar failed in his bid to oust the SNP from power at Holyrood, as the party tied for second place with Reform UK in the Scottish Parliament election.
Campaign Context
Sarwar had campaigned to end almost 20 years of SNP rule in Scotland, describing the process as a "two-part" plan. The first part was achieved when Sir Keir Starmer won the UK general election in 2024, which saw Scottish Labour win 37 of 57 constituencies in Scotland. However, the second part—winning the Holyrood election—proved increasingly difficult as Starmer's government became unpopular with voters.
Divergence from UK Leadership
Sarwar's unhappiness with the UK Labour leadership reached a peak in February when he called for the Prime Minister to step down, citing "too many mistakes" in Downing Street. During the Holyrood campaign, Sarwar repeatedly emphasized that a vote for his party was not an endorsement of Starmer. Despite these efforts, Labour lagged behind the SNP in the polls.
Election Results
When all votes were counted, Labour secured 17 MSPs, tied with Reform UK for second place. This was a decline from the 22 seats won in the 2021 election, which was Sarwar's first as party leader after taking over from Richard Leonard.
Sarwar's Political Journey
Sarwar, a former NHS dentist, became the first Muslim to lead a political party in the UK when he succeeded Leonard in 2021. He had previously stood against Leonard for the leadership in 2017. Sarwar entered elected politics as MP for Glasgow Central in 2010, a seat his father Mohammad Sarwar had held. He lost it in the 2015 SNP landslide and moved to Holyrood in 2016 as a regional list MSP for Glasgow.
Future Prospects
Sarwar's failure to defeat the SNP may lead to a leadership challenge within Scottish Labour. He was returned as an MSP for Glasgow in Thursday's election but has not yet achieved his goal of becoming First Minister.
