Swinney tried to ‘push people into arms of Reform’, claims Sarwar

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has accused First Minister John Swinney of “attempting to push people into the arms of Reform”, following the Hamilton by-election.

During a heated exchange with journalist Martin Geissler on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Sarwar branded questions put to him as “embarrassing” and suggested Geissler was asking about a “fantasy world”.

Sarwar repeatedly described the SNP campaign – which urged voters they could only stop Reform by voting SNP – in the run-up to last week’s poll as “dishonest and disgraceful”.

Labour’s Davy Russell gained the seat from the SNP with 8,559 votes, while SNP candidate Katy Loudon came second on 7,957, ahead of Reform’s Ross Lambie on 7,088.

Before the vote, Swinney had claimed “Labour are not at the races” and he described it as a “two-horse race” between the SNP and Reform.

Speaking on Sunday, Sarwar said: “The best John Swinney had to offer after 18 years was ‘vote SNP to stop Farage’ – a dishonest, shameful campaign.”

He said it showed a “lack of ambition” from a Government “running down the clock”, and he claimed commentators had been “embarrassed” by the result.

Sarwar added: “Frankly, your questions are embarrassing too, Martin.”

The broadcaster responded: “I think you should be slightly embarrassed.”

Prior to the vote, John Swinney had claimed only SNP candidate Katy Loudon could stop Reform (PA). PA Media

Sarwar said he had spoken to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Friday following the victory, and the Scottish leader said he wants to see the two-child benefit cap removed “as fast as possible”.

He told the BBC that Labour aims to “improve growth” and bring mortgage rates and energy bills down to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.

He added: “Maybe you don’t have a mortgage Martin, but people do have mortgages across the country.

“There have been four interest rates cuts because of economic stability and those four interest rates cuts have meant that the average mortgage is down by over £1,000.

“We’ve started to see energy bills come down, but those need to come down much quicker, because people feel a real pressure in the cost-of-living crisis.”

He said voters had “utterly rejected the SNP and Reform and sent a message to John Swinney that he ran a dishonest and disgraceful campaign that attempted to push people into the arms of Reform rather than confront the issues he has caused in people’s communities”. He added: “That’s why, ultimately, people want them removed from office.”