SCOTTISH Labour have become embroiled in a hypocrisy row after it emerged Edinburgh City Council has not ordered any buses from Alexander Dennis in the last three years.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has consistently accused John Swinney of failing to support the company.
At FMQs, he has leaned on the fact the company is planning to move its operations to England as an attack line against the SNP on several occasions.
But it has now emerged council bus firm Lothian Buses has failed to make a single order from Alexander Dennis since Labour came to power in the capital, according to the Scottish Sun.
Up to 400 jobs are at risk as the bus manufacturer announced plans to move operations to England from its factories in Falkirk and Larbert. It comes after more than 400 jobs were lost at the nearby Grangemouth refinery.
Michael Matheson, SNP MSP for Falkirk West, branded Sarwar a "hypocrite", accusing him of being too focused on "giving soundbites" than showing leadership.
He told The National: “The revelation that Labour-run Edinburgh City Council has not bought a single bus from Alexander Dennis in the last three years demonstrates that Labour is not remotely serious about saving jobs and shows what a hypocrite Anas Sarwar is.
“The Labour leader has been calling out for more support for the closure-threatened bus manufacturer whilst his own council has done absolutely nothing to support the company.
“While the SNP Scottish Government is working tirelessly to explore all options to secure a future for Alexander Dennis in Scotland - and save the jobs of 400 workers in Larbert and Falkirk - Anas Sarwar has been playing politics with people’s livelihoods
“The Scottish Labour leader has shown that he is more focussed on giving soundbites and making social media videos than showing any leadership. Anas Sarwar can’t even lead his own party, let alone run the country.”
Last month, Sarwar accused Swinney of doing “nothing” to save jobs at the firm.
He claimed Swinney received a letter almost a year ago directly from the company setting out "how his decision to buy buses from China, instead of from Scotland, was putting the company and jobs at risk".
Swinney acknowledged the letter that he said was followed by a meeting in which "we established work for Scottish Enterprise with the company to support the company in securing its future".
Sarwar had also previously said that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had ordered nearly five times the number of buses from Alexander Dennis than the Scottish Government.
Swinney dismissed that suggestion, saying his Government had secured 360 vehicles through Scottish Government funding programmes, compared to the 160 orders for Manchester.
SNP Edinburgh councillor Simita Kumar told The National: "Edinburgh Council owns 92% of Lothian Buses, which operates one of the biggest fleets in the country.
"The Labour administration are supposed to meet regularly with the company's senior management. Have they been making representations to Lothian Buses about buying from Alexander Dennis?
"Just last month, Labour councillors sat on the sidelines while the SNP brought forward a motion in support of Alexander Dennis. Have Labour done anything at all?"
"This proves that Labour are not serious, they are more concerned with soundbites and social media videos than actually governing, and Anas Sarwar is clearly unfit to be first minister.”
The SNP and Scottish Labour ran Edinburgh Council between 2017 and 2022 in a power-sharing deal.
But after the 2022 local elections, Labour seized control of the city with support from LibDem and Tory councillors.
Opposition councillors have previously said it is "unacceptable" that Labour continue to lead the administration, given they only have 11 councillors.
An Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: "The council has no involvement in procurement of vehicles for Lothian Buses. This is decided by the Lothian Buses Board."
A Lothian Bus spokesperson said: “All vehicle procurement decisions are based on an extensive range of factors including product compatibility with Lothian’s evolving fleet strategy.”
