Scottish Labour will end SNP culture of waste and cover-up, Sarwar says

A Scottish Labour government would end the SNP’s “culture of waste and cover-up”, Anas Sarwar has pledged.

Speaking ahead of his new year speech, the party leader said Scots face a choice at the next election of “decline managed by the SNP” or a “new direction” under his leadership.

These bodies vary widely in scope and power and include areas such as transport, health and culture.

They include Education Scotland, Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and NatureScot, among others.

There are around 724 non-departmental public bodies under the UK Government.

In his speech, delivered at the University of Glasgow, Mr Sarwar will pledge an end to what he claims is a culture of “jobs for the boys”.

He said the SNP had allowed politicians to evade responsibility and dodge tough decisions through an “explosion” of public bodies.

Mr Sarwar said that any Labour government in Holyrood would slash the total number, as well as the overall cost, of these organisations.

He said there was an urgent need for public sector reform that would deliver value for money.

He called for control of public cash and the delivery of services to be put back in the hands of politicians.

“Scotland needs a new direction,” he said. “Every public service is straining under almost two decades of governmental neglect, and Scots are paying more for less.

“In short, our country is stuck and it doesn’t need to be like this.

“The SNP came to power in 2007 promising to improve lives, but instead, we’ve seen services crumble, institutions weaken, and communities left behind.

“We must squeeze value out of every penny of taxpayers’ money to deliver public services that work.

“More importantly politicians must stop making excuses and passing the buck – they must take responsibility.”

Mr Sarwar said at the heart of both issues was a “growing bureaucratic monster”, which he said was creating a “sprawling network of unelected public bodies that drain public money and deliver little in return.”

He continued: “These so-called quangos were created to manage everything from healthcare to education, but far too often they’ve done more to complicate and obstruct than to improve services.

“Scotland spends a jaw-dropping £6.6 billion on these bodies each year. That’s money that could be better spent on improving services for the people of Scotland.

“It has created a culture that means when something goes wrong, the SNP government tries to dodge responsibility by blaming someone you’ve never heard of.

“It creates a culture where the government serves itself, not the people.”

The Scottish Labour leader said the country needs a government that is focused on “delivering for the people – not a self-serving political class focused on creating jobs for the boys”.

He added: “That’s why a Scottish Labour Government will end Scotland’s quango culture and better spend your money.

“As first minister, I would commit to cutting the red tape, reducing the number of health boards, and streamlining public bodies and pushing power and resources out to your community.

“The buck would stop with me.

“It’s time to take Scotland in a new direction. A direction where government serves the people, not the other way around.”

SNP depute leader Keith Brown said: “Anas Sarwar should start the new year by taking responsibility for Labour’s shameful decision to break the promises they made voters by inflicting further austerity and cuts on households across Scotland.

“In stark contrast to the SNP’s decision to invest in people and public services in Scotland, Labour has chosen to put public services at risk by increasing employers’ national insurance payments and abandon those who deserve support by cutting the winter fuel payment, maintaining the two child-cap and snubbing Waspi women’s fight for compensation.

“In recent weeks the UK Government has shamefully stuffed the unelected House of Lords with a raft of Anas Sarwar’s Labour cronies.

“It’s high time Labour started standing up for pensioners rather than giving their pals tax-free allowances in the Lords.

“People in Scotland will not be fooled by more hollow words from Anas Sarwar. If Labour is serious about improving lives and public services across the country then they will back the SNP’s Budget to invest in Scotland, or else it will be clear that Anas Sarwar would rather play party politics.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Through our Public Service Reform programmes the Scottish Government has already delivered savings of more than £200 million over the past two years.

“We have also delivered reductions in core Scottish Government staff levels of 3% in the past year. This work will continue.

“In addition, to ensure public services are sustainable, efficient and effective, and subject to the passage of the Budget, we will deliver an Invest to Save fund in 2025-26 backed by up to £30 million to drive efficiencies across public services, improve productivity and ensure longer term sustainability.”

The spokesperson added: “The Scottish Government has made improving public services a key priority, alongside eradicating child poverty, building prosperity and protecting the planet.

“We have more frontline public sector workers than other parts of the UK, and pay them more, demonstrating the value we place on workforce, skills, quality, and fairness.”