Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has launched a scathing attack on First Minister John Swinney, branding him a "bluffer" who will be "found out" at the Holyrood election. Mr Sarwar drew pointed comparisons between the SNP leader and recent high-profile departures from Scottish football.
He likened Mr Swinney to Paul Tisdale, who recently left his role as head of football operations at Celtic following the sacking of new manager Wilfried Nancy earlier this week. Also cited was Kevin Thelwell, the former sporting director of Rangers, who departed his position in November.
Following the exits of these two men, Mr Sarwar asserted that Mr Swinney would be the next "bluffer" to be "found out". Speaking to the Press Association, the Scottish Labour leader also acknowledged public dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the UK Government, but stressed that the upcoming election's focus remained firmly on Scotland, not Westminster.
He said the best thing Sir Keir could do is “be behind his door, at his desk, improving consequences and outcomes for people across the country”.
During a visit to City of Glasgow College, Mr Sarwar accused the First Minster of using independence as a shield to distract from his party’s record in power.
Asked whether he accepted that an SNP majority would count as a mandate for a second independence referendum, Mr Sarwar said the party would lose the next election.
He said of the First Minister: “John Swinney is bluffing. He is a bluffer.
“This election is not about whether the SNP wins a majority or not, it’s whether the SNP stays in government or not.
“This is the year the bluffers are going to get found out.
“Two bluffers have already been found out, whether it’s (Paul) Tisdale or (Kevin) Thelwell, they were found out, and the next bluffer that’s going to get found out is John Swinney.”
Pressed again on whether he accepted such a mandate, he insisted he would “remove” the SNP from office at the May election, despite his party currently polling third place behind Reform UK.
He told PA: “What I’m saying to you is, my job is not to commentate on politics.
“My job is to try and persuade people of my politics, my arguments, and to try and win an election in four months’ time.
“The reality is if Nicola Sturgeon – when the SNP was above 50% in the polls and when her approval ratings were at plus 50% during the pandemic – couldn’t win a majority, the idea that no energy, no ideas, no leadership John Swinney is going to do it is for the birds. He’s a bluffer.”
Amid newspaper reports that Scottish Labour MPs are unhappy with Sir Keir, Mr Sarwar said the Prime Minister was doing “a good job” on “many measures”.
“But do I accept that the UK Government and the Prime Minister are unpopular with the public right now? Yes, I do.”
He added: “The best thing that Keir Starmer can do is be behind his door, at his desk, improving consequences and outcomes for people across the country.
“I’m leading this campaign – I’m our candidate for First Minister.
“Keir Starmer is not standing to be First Minister. Rachel Reeves is not standing to be First Minister. Nigel Farage is not standing to be First Minister.
“There are only two people explicitly standing to be First Minister in this country: that’s me and John Swinney.
“That’s the choice, that’s the debate, and that’s the campaign I relish.”
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