Scottish Labour only choice to beat SNP” – Sarwar delivers conference speech - Feb 27

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar addresses the Scottish Labour Party Conference 2026

"In just ten weeks, Scotland faces a choice.

It's our chance to elect a new government and a new first minister.

So underestimate me and the people in this room at your peril, because this is an opportunity we will not miss. 

And it could not be more important. It is about the future of our country.

More of the same managed decline with the SNP.

Or new energy, new ideas and new leadership for Scotland with Scottish Labour.

This election is about who governs Scotland.

It is about whether John Swinney and the SNP get a third decade, or whether Scotland finally gets the change it needs.

After almost 20 years of SNP government, it could not be clearer that Scotland needs change.

And only Scottish Labour can deliver it.

I am determined to win this election.

Not for me, but for Scotland.

I am ambitious for Scotland, and I refuse to believe this is as good as it gets.

I was born in Glasgow just along the road from here. So were my kids.

And when I look at them, I think about the kind of Scotland they are growing up in, and it does not feel anything like the kind of Scotland I grew up in.

That Scotland was a country that thought big, not small. A country with ambition. A Scotland that had a can-do attitude, not a can't do attitude.

Today, we face a different Scotland.

After 20 years of SNP government, too much is harder than it should be. 

Public services are weaker. 

Standards have slipped. 

Too many people feel they are paying more and getting less.

And we have an SNP government more interested in conspiracy and complacency than in serving Scotland.

That is why this election has to be about removing the SNP from office, fixing the SNP's mess, getting the basics right, and building a better future for Scotland.

So, my promise to you is this.

I will be a First Minister focused on fixing problems and finding solutions, not one who always looks for someone else to blame.

I will be a First Minister who is ambitious for Scotland's future, not one whose only ambition has been to divide our country.

And I will be a First Minister who puts Scotland before party, not party before Scotland.

And that is the choice in May.

A straight choice between me and John Swinney.

A straight choice between change and decline.

A straight choice between Scotland's future and Scotland's past.

And conference, the future will win.

But we only get that future if we beat the SNP and the people of Scotland choose change.

Conference, my first priority and my first loyalty is to my country, Scotland.

So, I want to take on the nonsense you will hear from the SNP and Reform in this election.

The SNP will say I am not for Scotland.

Reform will say I am not Scottish enough.

But I look around this hall, and I look around this great country, and I know this.

Regardless of politics, the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland want the same basic things.

A country that works.

A government that listens.

A future that feels better than the present.

So enough.

Enough of those who try to divide us just to hold on to power.

Enough of those who exploit anger but offer no answers.

We will call you out and no longer stand for your nonsense.

Because this Scotland belongs to all of us.

And let me just take a minute to talk about Reform. 

Reform and Nigel Farage don't care about Scotland, they don't understand Scotland, and they don't give a damn about Scotland.

With the defections of Robert Jenrick, Nadhim Zahari and Suella Braverman, it's clear that Reform are just Tories in disguise.

The same team with a different badge.

The same people who screwed the country before and who now want to screw it again.

Scotland rejected them before. 

And I know Scotland will reject them again.

Conference there are two kinds of politicians in this country.

Those like John Swinney and Nigel Farage who see problems and use them to divide us.

Or leaders who see problems, take responsibility, and get to work fixing them.

That is who I am.

That is why I say to people who disagree with me on independence, let's work together to make Scotland better right now.

The SNP have had their chance, and they have lost their way.

And I say to those who are scunnered by how broken everything feels and are tempted by Reform.

Reform cannot win in Scotland and Reform cannot beat the SNP.

In fact, a vote for Reform just lets the SNP cling on to power - stopping change.

So, I sense people's frustration. I get people's anger.

But I am saying to you: let's focus on the task at hand right now because this is our best chance, perhaps our only chance, to end SNP rule.

So, whether you do it with enthusiasm.

Whether you do it with anger

Or if you do it by holding your nose, let's come together and back the only party that can get rid of this incompetent SNP government that deserves to lose.

So, if you think it is time to end 20 years of the SNP, there is only one way to do it.

Vote Scottish Labour.

Elect a First Minister who won't deny the issues, but will confront them and work to fix them.

That is the promise I make to you.

I have spent my life fixing problems. It began here in Paisley.

This is where I started my career as an NHS dentist.

When John Swinney entered government, I was working here with some of the poorest communities in Scotland.

And this community taught me that politics is about service.

At that time, Paisley had the worst dental health anywhere in Europe.

I saw the direct link between health inequalities and the lack of economic opportunity and the impact poverty had on people's lives.

And I never believed the answer was to shrug your shoulders and say, we can't fix this.

Every day, my colleagues and I rolled up our sleeves and asked, how can we help?

I will never forget having to do full dental clearances and make dentures for 18- and 19-year-olds, often because of addiction and methadone destroying their teeth.

I was never willing to accept that was good enough.

It is why I chose public service.

It is who I am. It is what I believe. And it is why I want to serve my country as First Minister.

I believe this country is the best in the world.

But the SNP's record does not match the potential of our people.

Because if this country had a government that worked as hard as the people of this country do - we would all be better off.

Take my grandfather. He arrived in Lossiemouth with nothing.

He built a life and a home for his family.

His was a story of hard work, community and ambition.

And that is not just my family's story. That is Scotland's story, shared by families in every part of our country.

But right now, even for people working hard every day, Scotland is not working the way it should, and the way we know it can.

People tell me the same story every day. We are busting a gut to pay our bills, take care of our families, and try to build a better, more stable future.

But how do we do that when the people running Scotland can't even get the basics right.

That is why this election matters.

Now, John Swinney and the SNP want to talk about anything other than their record or about Scotland.

They don't want to hear about the crisis in our NHS, or the falling standards in our schools, or the housing emergency they have failed to deal with, or how broken our public services are, or how unsafe our communities feel.

They want to talk about anything except what has happened in Scotland after 20 years on their watch.

But this election matters because for me, Scotland matters.

This is not a protest. It is not a free hit. It is not about Westminster or about pollsters or commentator chatter.

It is about who runs Scotland and what they will do with that immense honour of serving Scotland's people.

John Swinney is banking on cynicism and exhaustion to drag him over the line.

He is hoping people are so worn down that his shameful record is ignored.

But this election isn't about protest or about sending a message.

It is about the patients waiting too long in pain for treatment.

It is about the parents worried about their child's safety and their future.

It is about the 10,000 children with nowhere to call home.

So, to those who claim to stand up for Scotland but also say this election is about somewhere else or someone else, I say shame on you.

This election is about Scotland.

It's about:

Our schools.

Our hospitals.

Our streets.

Our children.

Our towns, cities, villages and islands.

It's about our future.

After 20 years of SNP government, Scotland needs change and it needs a government that will fight to fix the SNP's mess, fight to get the basics right and fight for a better future.

That's what we as Scottish Labour will do.

And that fight begins with Labour's proudest achievement and our greatest national treasure, our NHS.

After 20 years of SNP mismanagement, they have pushed our NHS to breaking point.

So, let's elect a first minister that will save it.

Save it from an SNP government that is distracted, and out of ideas.

Save it from a culture that protects reputations and institutions before patients.

Save it from incompetent ministers who are putting political advantage before our health service.

Nowhere is that clearer than the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital scandal, the most shocking failure in the history of devolution.

This SNP government's culture runs from the absurd to the unforgivable.

This is a government that is willing to paint windows on a ferry and fake a launch.

And it is the same government that put pressure on a hospital to open before it was ready.

They put politics before patient safety.

And people died as a result.

Shameful. Disgusting. Unforgivable.

And it proves they are unfit for office.

No one has taken responsibility.

No one has been held accountable.

No one has been sacked.

Instead, grieving families were treated with contempt.

Offered ice-cream and trips to Disneyland in exchange for their silence.

So just imagine how rotten a government has to be for that to be normal.

It is the symptom of a wider culture of secrecy, cover-up and buck-passing.

And it points to a deeper problem in our NHS.

Too many managers, not enough front-line staff.

Too much power protecting the system, not enough focus on patients.

So, renewing our NHS and building a better future means taking on those vested interests.

And that is what I will do.

So, I make another promise.

As First Minister, I will rebalance the system so it 

is back on the side of patients.

And that is why in honour of Milly Main and all the families affected I will pass Milly's Law, so truth and justice will always prevail.

I will scrap failing health boards and create a new system of governance rooted in transparency, accountability and effective delivery

And ultimately, I will give our NHS back to the people it actually belongs to.

Not the managers and the incompetent SNP ministers.

But back in the hands of the patients, the staff, and the public where it belongs.

And let me say directly to every family impacted by the scandal at the QEUH.

For over eight years we have fought for the truth and throughout that time your bravery, resilience, and grace has been an inspiration in the darkest of times.

I know your pain and your struggle and my promise to you is this.

I will not give up. I will not rest. I will not stop until you get the truth and justice you deserve.

So, conference this election is about beating the SNP, fixing their mess and building a better future.

And let's start with just one example.

everyone in Scotland knows someone stuck on an NHS waiting list.

Everyone knows the anxiety, the pain, the stress of being told to wait and wait and wait.

That is why, as First Minister, I will declare - on day one of a Scottish Labour Government - a national waiting times emergency.

And unlike the current SNP government, when we have a national emergency, we'll take the action to address it.

So, I will do whatever it takes to bring down our NHS waiting lists.

That means money will follow the patient so people can get treatment wherever there is capacity in the system, anywhere in Scotland, elsewhere in the UK if needed, and yes, where necessary, in the private sector.

Because people should not be forced to pay out of their own pocket for care they are entitled to on the NHS.

Under the SNP, the very founding principles of our NHS are being undermined.

They have created a system where those who can pay go faster, and everyone else waits longer.

Well, I will not let that stand.

That is why Scottish Labour will fix the SNP's mess by cutting waiting lists. 

We will get the basics right by ending the 8am rush for a GP appointment and bringing back the family doctor.

We will build a better future by using technology to deliver faster diagnosis and treatment.

But none of this works without the staff.

So, I am determined to make sure the doctors, nurses and radiographers we train today are saving lives in Scotland tomorrow.

Because the future of the NHS depends on the people who work in it.

That's why Scottish Labour will always back staff and patients every step of the way.

We will fix the SNP's mess by ending the scandal of poor workforce planning.

Scotland has high vacancy rates across the NHS, while too many nurses and doctors struggle to get the training places and pathways they need.

That is a failure of planning, and patients and staff are paying the price.

We will get the basics right by treating NHS staff as the precious resource they are.

That means flexible working to retain experienced staff and support families.

It means proper planning so that training, recruitment and career progression finally line up.

And we will build a better future with a 10-year NHS workforce plan, designed with the professions, linking university places to training posts and long-term careers.

But we also need fairness.

A promise I make is that a Scottish Labour government will always maintain free tuition.

But when it comes to our NHS, if we pay for your training here, we will expect you to stay here.

So, we will change the rules so any Scottish medical, dental or nursing student on a publicly funded place will, after graduating, be expected to work in Scotland's NHS or social care system for at least five years, or repay their tuition support and bursaries.

Because if working people in Scotland, through their taxes, invest in training you, then they should also benefit from your skills.

That is fairness for taxpayers.

Fairness for patients.

And fairness for NHS staff.

That's how we build an NHS that works for you and your family.

It has been more than a decade since Nicola Sturgeon said education would be the SNP's top priority.

She promised to close the poverty related attainment gap.

And who did she put in charge?

John Swinney.

So, what is his record?

The attainment gap is still there.

Universities are under severe financial pressure.

Colleges have been squeezed for years.

There are not enough apprenticeships.

And 1 in 6 young people are not in education, employment or training.

That is not a record to defend. It is a record of failure.

And how can John Swinney's legacy as Education Secretary can be summarised?

Let's never let him forget that he was the man who shamefully marked down working-class children's results during the pandemic.

He ignored the judgement of teachers, and the poorest pupils paid the price.

Unforgivable.

So, this is what Scottish Labour will do.

We will fix the SNP's mess by restoring order, discipline and ambition in our schools.

That means tackling poor behaviour in classrooms.

It means backing teachers on discipline.

And yes, it means banning mobile phones in schools so young people can focus on learning.

We will get the basics right by making sure every child is ready to learn.

That means delivering breakfast clubs in every school. So no child starts the school day hungry.

And that means a renewed focus on reading, writing, maths and science.

And we will build a better future by giving young people a clear path into skilled, secure work.

We will protect free tuition and reform college funding so it matches the needs of industry.

And we will create 9,000 new apprenticeships in key sectors.

Making a clear commitment that every young person who wants an apprenticeship gets one.

Because Scotland has huge opportunities ahead in defence, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

The jobs of the future can be created here and filled here by workers from here.

Yet too often firms are recruiting from abroad because this SNP government fails to train enough people at home.

And it's our working-class young people who pay the price.

For too long, the SNP has looked down on vocational routes, undervalued trades, and neglected colleges and apprenticeships.

So, with Scottish Labour that snobbery will end.

We will back our colleges and invest in the training needed for the high skilled and high paid jobs of the future.

We will give young people the skills they need to seize the opportunities ahead.

That is how we raise standards.

That is how we deliver justice for working class families.

And how we guarantee better opportunities for all our young people, bring back ambition and get Scotland working again.

But for that ambition to be realised people need to feel safe in the classroom, safe at work, and safe in their community.

Too many communities are living with anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and serious violence.

The SNP have taken police off our streets, closed local police stations, and left communities to deal with the consequences.

At the same time, violent crime is up, violence against women and girls is up, and rape and attempted rape is on the rise.

People feel like shoplifting has been effectively legalised because too often criminals think nothing will happen.

That is what the SNP's soft touch justice looks like.

So, we will act.

We will fix the SNP's mess by restoring community policing.

A Scottish Labour government will put police back on our streets, with a named community crime prevention officer in every ward in Scotland.

Someone local, that people can contact, trust and hold to account.

We will get the basics right by making sure more police time is spent on the streets rather than in court rooms and A&Es.

Because now, too much police time is taken up responding to mental health crises.

That is not right for police, and it is not right for people in crisis.

They need care from specially trained mental health professionals.

So, we will build a better future by creating a new emergency mental health response service, so people get the right support from the right individual.

And police can focus on preventing crime and keeping our communities safe.

Conference, that is how we build safer streets and stronger communities.

We will also end the SNP's addiction to wasting your money.

We will fix the SNP's mess by ending the culture of buck-passing, waste, and jobs for the boys.

Because instead of taking responsibility, the SNP have built a maze of arm's-length bodies, quangos and committees so ministers can avoid accountability and pass the buck.

Scotland now has more quangos than MSPs.

There are 133 public sector bodies costing more than 6 billion pounds a year.

Now, some do important work.

But too many duplicate each other, waste money, or act as a shield for incompetent ministers who do not want to take responsibility.

That is not good enough. And with me as First Minister, it will change.

We will get the basics right by restoring ministerial accountability and ending the waste

A Scottish Labour government will reduce the number of quangos by at least a third.

We will cut duplication.

We will take back control.

We will make sure decisions are made by the people the public can vote for and vote out.

And we will build a better future with a leaner, more accountable state that spends more on front line services and less on bureaucracy.

Because under the SNP, people in Scotland are paying more and getting less.

They deserve a government that is focused, accountable and on their side.

And let me say one more thing about this really clearly.

If you are a public sector boss on a six-figure salary, do not expect ministers in my government to sign off six figure bonuses and pay-offs while you force families to pay more for worse services.

With me as First Minister, the era of SNP waste and excuses will be over once and for all.

Conference, Scotland has a housing emergency.

Fixing it is a moral imperative and an economic one.

Because housing is not just a social issue. It is the link between social justice and economic growth.

The SNP's failure to build enough homes is holding Scotland back.

It means young people cannot afford their own home.

It means rising rents.

It means weaker growth.

And it has resulted in the shame of more than 10,000 children with nowhere to call home.

When we raised this with John Swinney, he told us to find something else to moan about.

That is the voice of a man that has been in office far too long and a government that has lost its way.

Complacent. Defensive. Out of touch.

So, I am not going to moan about it.

I am going to fix it.

We will fix the SNP's mess by treating the housing emergency like the emergency it is.

The government I lead will overhaul planning laws to unlock land and speed up approvals.

We will get the basics right by building the homes Scotland needs, at the scale Scotland needs.

So, I can announce today that as First Minister, I will lead the biggest housebuilding revolution in the history of devolution.

A Scottish Labour government will build 125,000 new homes over the next five years 

across all tenures, social homes, homes for rent and homes to buy.

And we will build a better future by changing how Scotland finances and delivers housing for good.

We will create a new Housing Investment Bank to support long term building

We will introduce a £1 homes scheme to bring derelict properties back into use.

And we will establish Housing Development Trusts with the power to act entrepreneurially and deliver homes in every region.

That means thousands of affordable homes that cut waiting lists and help people save for the future

Because fixing housing is how we lift people out of poverty.

It is how we create jobs and grow the economy.

It is how we give more families the chance to own a home.

So, that's the choice - the SNP who declared a housing emergency and then failed to act.

Or a Scottish Labour government who will get Scotland building again.

And let me say this again.

As First Minister, I will act to end the scandal of rough sleeping for once and for all.

That is my ambition for Scotland.

Homes to live in.

Jobs to build them.

And a country where every child has a place to call home.

But conference, everything I have set out today demonstrates that stark choice in ten weeks' time.

We only get to fix the SNP's mess, we only get the basics right and build the better future I have set out today if we remove the SNP from office.

All of this comes down to one question and one clear choice in this election.

A third decade of the SNP or a new First Minister and a Scottish Labour government.

The SNP don't deserve to win.

Reform can't win.

In constituency after constituency and across Scotland only Scottish Labour can beat the SNP.

So that is the choice:

Fixing our NHS, or more people waiting in pain.

Safer classrooms and safer streets, or more SNP soft touch justice.

125,000 new homes, or another generation locked out of the housing market.

Skills, apprenticeships and Scottish jobs, or more of our young people left behind.

A better future for Scotland with Scottish Labour, or a third decade of SNP failure.

That is the choice.

The next First Minister will either be John Swinney or me.

A real choice, with real consequences.

Conference, we know what we stand for.

For fairness, for justice, for ambition, for Scotland.

That's why we will fix the SNP's mess.

That's why we will get the basics right.

And that's why we will build a better future for Scotland.

After 20 years of SNP government, Scotland needs change.

And it is on us - only us - to deliver it because only we can.

Ten weeks to the election.

Ten weeks until Scotland faces a choice.

Ten weeks to beat the SNP.

Ten weeks to elect a new government and a new first minister.

Ten weeks to build a better future for Scotland.

So, let's go out there and win it together."