Anas Sarwar accuses First Minister of "duping" supporters with independence promises
John Swinney has disputed the claims, saying the SNP is "focused" on public priorities
Last updated 27th Dec 2025
The Scottish Labour leader is accusing the First Minster of “duping” SNP supporters into thinking they will win a majority.
Anas Sarwar has made the comments after John Swinney has said a majority of SNP MSPs should be enough for Scotland to be granted the powers to hold another vote on independence, as it was ahead of the 2014 vote.
Holyrood's system makes it extremely difficult for parties to secure a majority of MSPs, having been set up to ensure groups have to work together to pass legislation.
But speaking to the Press Association, Mr Sarwar - who is vying to be First Minister after May's election himself - has poured scorn on the SNP's push.
"Low energy, no ideas Swinney"
"John Swinney is duping his own membership, his own supporters and his own candidates," he said.
"If Nicola Sturgeon, when the SNP were up above 50% in the opinion polls, when her approval ratings were at plus 58%, when she was claiming to be Mother Teresa, couldn't win a majority, the idea that this guy, who has been at the centre of the Government for the last 18 years - low energy, no ideas John Swinney - is somehow pretending that he is going to energise the masses and win a majority government in Scotland is for the birds."
Labour's fortunes have fallen in the polls since the election last year, seemingly owing to unpopular policies from the UK Government.
Mr Sarwar acknowledged there had been "challenges", but claimed that had made the First Minister and the SNP "complacent and arrogant".
"I think once the focus of people in Scotland is on the performance of this Government and the choice they face in May 2026, I think he is going to be utterly exposed."
"Complacent and arrogant"
Mr Sarwar would not be drawn on whether a majority should be enough for another independence referendum, saying only: "John Swinney is not going to win a majority, he's not going to be First Minister after May."
The Scottish Labour leader and his team have sought to isolate the election campaign north of the border from the Government south of the border in recent months, with Mr Sarwar giving his usual answer to questions of the impact of UK-wide policy on his chances, saying: "Keir Starmer is not standing to be First Minister.
"Rachel Reeves is not standing to be First Minister.
"The two people credibly standing to be First Minister are me and John Swinney."
He went on to urge Scots to use their vote in May on Scottish issues rather than on the record of the UK Government.
"Focused on the priorities of the public"
"Regardless of what people might think about the rights and wrongs of a UK Labour Government, it is not right to use our election in Scotland as an election of protest, somehow pretending that what we choose as a Government in Scotland does not have consequence," he said.
"It does have consequence.
"If you care about your school, your local hospital, local services, local transport, regional development, they're all the responsibility of the Scottish Government and not the responsibility of the UK Labour Government.
"John Swinney will want to make it about ministers somewhere else.
"We've got the ideas, we've got the energy"
"I'm going to make this election about Scotland and I'm confident if this election is about Scotland, people will choose that new direction."
Responding to the Labour leader, Mr Swinney said: "I think I'm demonstrating that I'm getting Government focused on the priorities of the public.
"The health service is delivering a performance that's now seeing waiting lists fall as a consequence of the leadership I give the health service, child poverty is now at its lowest level for 30 years in Scotland - that's not happened by accident."
He added: "We've got the ideas, the energy, the commitment, the drive and the vision to deliver a better Scotland and that's what I'm going to set out to the public."