A former Labour MSP has blasted Anas Sarwar’s “failed" strategy and called for the party to back a second referendum.
Neil Findlay said Sarwar’s campaign was simply a “rehash” of the 2016 election and urged Labour to recognise the right of the Scottish people to self-determination.
Sarwar has been credited for the Holyrood election campaign he fought after taking over the leadership of Scottish Labour ten weeks ago.
He rejected calls for indyref2 and made national recovery from covid his party’s top priority.
However, although Labour held on to key constituencies yesterday, they could come third again for the second time in a row.
Findlay, a left winger who represented the Lothians between 2011 and 2021, said Sarwar had done “pretty well” and had fronted a “united campaign”.
However, he said the attempt to shift the conversation away from the constitution echoed former leader Kezia Dugdale’s failed strategy in 2016.
“The strapline is effectively an anagram of ‘kids not cuts’. It’s the same thing rehashed under the cover of covid. It’s a failed and failing strategy.”
He said the key message pursued by Sarwar was “understandable but central to the problem Labour faces”.
He said: “Trying to get the debate changed from the constitution has been tried and tried, and it has repeatedly failed because the constitution is the dominant issue in Scottish politics.”
Findlay blasted: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
He believed Labour should back another referendum, but only if there is an option of more powers for Holyrood on the ballot:
“Labour should accept the Scottish people have the right to self-determination and rapidly develop a devo max option. They should positively campaign on that.
“Labour has to be at the table. Our position should be we want a third option on the ballot.”
He also pointed to the success of Labour in Wales: “We should be camped out in [First Minister] Mark Drakeford’s office to learn the lessons of Labour in Wales.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "Neil Findlay is no longer an elected representative of the Scottish Labour Party, and as private citizen he is entitled to his views on a whole range of issues. Mr Findlay chose to leave public life. We wish him well.”
