SCOTTISH Labour are reportedly consulting with Tony Blair’s think tank, which has previously called for more private involvement in the NHS, on its health policies ahead of the Holyrood 2026 election.
The Sunday Times reports that the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is working with Anas Sarwar’s party to develop new policies for the health service ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next year.
Former prime minister Blair has previously suggested the NHS should use private healthcare providers to cut waiting times.
He also joined ex-Tory leader William Hague in suggesting the NHS should sell anonymised medical records to boost public services and research in 2024.
The SNP said the move was “truly beyond belief”.
The newspaper reports that the TBI is working for no fee and is believed to be developing a “specific piece of work” for Scottish Labour.
This is understood to be related to how to improve access to GPs and prevention of health issues, as well as proposals on how “more effective use of technology solutions” could be used to drive down record waiting lists for operations.
The TBI has more than 800 staff and works in more than 40 countries, with a focus on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies to reform how governments run and deliver public services.
However, the Times added that even senior figures close to Sarwar admitted they were not aware of Blair’s involvement in the Holyrood campaign.
“From GP practices using fax machines to doctors relying on pagers, the SNP is running an analogue health service in a digital age. GPs have been sounding the alarm about how a woeful lack of basic IT is holding them back — it’s time we have a government that will listen.
“A Scottish Labour government will put Scotland on the cutting edge of medical innovation and modernise our NHS so it is fit for the future.”
A Tony Blair Institute spokesman said: “We are always happy to talk to any and all political parties who are interested in our work, all of which is published and publicly available.
“The conversations we have had with Scottish Labour are specifically around how our health policy proposals could apply to healthcare in Scotland. We intend to publish this work regardless of the outcome of the election.”
Angus Robertson, Constitution Secretary and chair of the SNP’s campaign committee said the move showed Scottish Labour have “no vision for Scotland’s future”.
“Rather than listening to the people of Scotland, they can only look backwards at a discredited, unpopular figure like Tony Blair,” he said.
SNP MSP Clare Haughey added: “That Anas Sarwar is taking advice on health from an organisation which has previously called for the selling of NHS patient's data for money is truly beyond belief.
“It is unbelievable that Scottish Labour are looking to the man that led us into the disastrous Iraq war to tell them what is best for Scotland.
"The SNP is the only party with a clear plan to build a better future for Scotland - improving our NHS, supporting families and workers through the cost-of-living crisis and creating new opportunities with the powers of independence."
