"Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, said the prime minister's policy failures and missteps had left voters angry, frustrated and impatient, leaving his party clear underdogs before May's election. Asked during a speech in Edinburgh whether he wanted Starmer to campaign in Scotland, Sarwar said: I would say the best thing that Keir Starmer and the UK Labour government can do is be behind their doors and in their departments getting things right and changing our outcomes."
"Addressing a room packed with Labour parliamentarians, candidates and activists, Sarwar said the party had failed to communicate its achievements to voters including raising wages and tackling NHS waiting lists while making serious errors, such as cancelling the winter fuel payment. Scottish Labour's leadership and strategists are privately furious about what they see as No 10's policy and communication failures, believing they have squandered substantial polling leads, after resoundingly beating the Scottish National party in the 2024 general election and in two byelections."
Anas Sarwar urged Keir Starmer and senior UK ministers to remain in Whitehall and focus on fixing policy and departmental delivery rather than campaigning in Scotland. He argued that prime ministerial policy failures and missteps have left voters angry, frustrated and impatient, making Scottish Labour underdogs ahead of May's Holyrood election. Scottish Labour acknowledges communication failures about achievements such as raising wages and reducing NHS waiting lists, and criticizes specific errors like cancelling the winter fuel payment. Party strategists blame No 10 policy and communication mistakes for losing polling leads despite 2024 general election gains. Scottish Labour plans to focus on NHS waiting lists, education and housing.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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