SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called the party’s Hamilton by-election candidate by the wrong name while trying to defend him for ducking the media during his campaign.
Scottish Labour’s candidate Davy Russell has come under fierce criticism as he has failed to speak with media outlets during his campaign for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election.
Sarwar attempted to defend Russell while being interviewed on BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland (GMS) show after the Labour candidate refused to join the rest of the other party candidates for the by-election on the programme on Tuesday morning.
GMS host Gary Robertson quizzed Sarwar about why Russell, who didn’t partake in a hustings in Hamilton on Tuesday night and is reportedly also not attending a live debate on STV, appears to be avoiding all media outlets during his campaign.
Robertson said: “We invited the candidates for this upcoming by-election onto the program yesterday, but your candidate didn't come. Why not?”
Sarwar replied: “That's a matter for the campaign team and the campaign.”
The Scottish Labour leader went on to claim that Russell (left) had done media interviews and that he has more planned in the future.
However, Robertson further called out Sarwar as he asked: “But you understand what the issue here is, that many of your opponents believe that he is running scared.
“That actually when it comes to appearing on programmes like this, he's just not available.”
Sarwar replied: “Well, I just don't accept that because Davy Hamilton – Davy Russell, sorry – is the only candidate that lives in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse."
He continued: “I would advise any TV producer, any candidate, go and chap the doors and ask them who they've heard of and who they believe in, and I'm telling you people will say, Davy Russell, he's a fantastic local candidate.”
Sarwar's excuses were called out by members of the Scottish media. The National contributor Gerry Hassan said Sarwar's pointing to the campaign team for Russell's failure to speak to the media was an "abdication of leadership", while the Scottish Daily Mail's Tom Gordon called it a "farce".
During the interview Sarwar went on to say he would challenge Nigel Farage “anytime, anyplace” as a row sparked by a “racist” Reform UK advert rages on.
Farage, the Reform UK leader, played the online ad at a press conference in London on Tuesday, before claiming the Scottish Labour leader had “introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics”.
The attack prompted Sarwar to brand the MP a “poisonous man who doesn’t understand Scotland”.
Now the Scottish Labour leader has said he will “challenge” Farage (below) on his views, going on to insist: “The people of Scotland will utterly reject him.”
His comments came amid speculation that Farage could visit Scotland in the run-up to next Thursday’s Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election.
Sarwar told BBC Radio Scotland’s GMS programme: “This man has no idea where Hamilton is. I’ve been in Hamilton most days, I know other political parties have been in Hamilton a lot.
“What I suggest to Nigel Farage is he should ask his chauffeur to put Hamilton into Google Maps.
“Come up here. I’ll challenge him anytime, any place, in Hamilton, any town hall, and he can challenge me on my views, I'll challenge him on his views, and you can see that the people of Scotland will utterly reject him, because he can’t win there and he can’t win in Scotland.
“This man wants to pretend he’s a great champion of working people across our country.”
