Anas Sarwar: 'Liz Truss is a lame duck prime minister'

Anas Sarwar has described Liz Truss as a “lame duck” prime minister, as he vowed that Labour can win the next election.

The Scottish Labour leader backed the call of Keir Starmer for a vote to be held across the UK following a day of turmoil in Westminster that saw Truss sack Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor.

Labour are currently projected to win a UK general election in a landslide, gaining 178 seats, while the Conservatives would lose 191 MPs.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Saturday, Sarwar stated that Labour want to “deserve to win”, as he outlined the work required by the party despite their polling lead.

“I think it’s clear Liz Truss is a lame duck prime minister. She’s Prime Minister just in name,” he said.

“Keir Starmer is absolutely right to demand a general election. He’s also right to highlight that we don’t want just this government to lose, we want to deserve to win.”

Sarwar expressed his confidence that Labour can win the next election, as he underlined the need to reform and change the UK.

“We both know the flaws of both the Scottish Government and the UK Government – led by the SNP in Scotland, the Conservatives across the UK,” he continued.

“So how are we going to make a positive case for why people should vote for us?

“I’m confident that if we can demonstrate to people that Labour can win the next election, Labour will win the next election.

“Then we can demonstrate to people how you will reform and change the UK, that means strengthen Scotland, bolster reform or renew the UK, and having governments of the people.

“And that can mean big gains for us across the country.”

Despite the polling lead by Labour across the UK, Scottish Labour still remains well behind the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon’s party have been in government in Edinburgh since 2007 and currently have 44 MPs at Westminster.

It presents a major challenge for Scottish Labour to overcome, having lost all but one of its MPs in the 2015 general election.

Presently, there is only one Labour MP representing a Scottish constituency – Ian Murray in Edinburgh South.

Sarwar acknowledged the anger felt by people towards the Labour Party, as well as why voters sought an alternative opposition to the Conservatives in Scotland in the SNP.

However, he insists there is a “better way” for the Conservatives to be removed from government.

“I’m not shy about this, I say directly to people – I can understand why people were angry with the Labour Party,” he said.

“I can understand why people were angry at the Conservatives. I can understand why people thought we need to get away from this horrific Tory government.

“Actually, there’s a better way for us to get rid of this horrific Tory government.

“That’s something that unites people across the country because I don’t believe there’s a majority for a referendum next year.

“I don’t believe there’s a majority for independence. But there is a majority against the status quo.

“That majority is not just in Scotland, it’s right across the UK.

“And my job in Scotland and Keir Starmer’s job across the UK is for Labour to build that campaign, to build that majority in Scotland and across the UK, to change this Tory government and show can do politics differently.”