The Scottish Labour leader said the SNP would rather focus on the constitution than fixing the NHS or supporting public services.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar campaigning in Kirkcaldy
Anas Sarwar has accused John Swinney of “shifting the goalposts” on Scottish independence ahead of next week’s Holyrood election.
The Scottish Labour leader spoke out after the First Minister his government would begin its push for powers to hold an IndyRef2 on the first parliamentary day after it is formed.
Swinney told an audience of SNP candidates in Govan today: “I can confirm today that on the first sitting day after the appointment of the new government, we will bring forward a vote of the Scottish Parliament to approve the development of a Section 30 order to give Scotland the power to hold an independence referendum.”
But the SNP leader refused to rule out pushing for a referendum even if his party fails to win a majority.
Sarwar said: “This just demonstrates that John Swinney’s priority is not the NHS, not supporting our public services, and not making our streets safer. It is dividing our country and obsessing over the arguments of the past.
“I am absolutely clear that on day one of a Scottish Labour government, my focus will be on cutting waiting lists, supporting our emergency services, and bringing our country together.
“This election is not about whether the SNP wins a majority or not – it is about whether they remain in power or not.
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“Swinney is taking the classic approach of the SNP, whether it is failing to meet legally binding targets, or failing to cut waiting times – They shift the goalposts to cover up for their failures. Scotland deserves so much better. That’s why we need to remove them from office.
“All across the country, it is clear that only Scottish Labour can kick the SNP out of power after 20 years of failure. We deserve so much better than this rotten, out of touch, and tired SNP government.”
It comes as Scottish Labour today pledged to implement the Equality Act “straight away” as the party set out its Women’s Manifesto.
Sarwar met with Labour candidate Carol Mochan and talked to women in the Cumnock constituency. The Labour leader said the main new pledge in the women’s manifesto would be to implement the Equality Act changes.
The UK Supreme Court ruled in April 2025 that the definition of a woman in equalities law is based on biological sex.
This has changed the definition of a “woman” in the 2010 Equality Act to mean a biological female, and that the term “sex” means biological sex. It also said that sex is binary, meaning someone is either male or female.
Mr Sarwar said: “First of all, the clearest example of the difference is we will stop using taxpayers’ money to challenge women and people, and we’ll get on straight away with implementing the Equality Act and making sure we’re protecting single sex spaces based on biological sex. Services, spaces and schools. ”
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