Anas Sarwar vows to take on ‘noisy minority holding Scotland back’

A Scottish Labour government would take on the “noisy minority holding back” Scotland, Anas Sarwar will vow.

The Scottish Labour leader will say if elected at next year’s Holyrood election, he would deliver a government that stood with the “hard-working majority of Scots”.

In a speech in Glasgow ahead of MSPs returning to the Scottish Parliament this week, Mr Sarwar will claim the SNP has “suffocated the ambitions of Scotland” by failing to confront those he says are blocking progress across the country.

The Scottish Labour leader will promise to “side with Scotland’s ambitious majority” over a minority which he said is holding the nation back.

He is expected to say: “We are a nation of innovators and inventors.

“We have world-leading universities, businesses striving to grow and workers with big ideas on how we make our economy and our public services flourish.
 
“But the simple fact is that the ambitions of the Scottish people are being suffocated by the SNP.

“The truth is that under the SNP, we now have a noisy minority holding back the progress the hard-working majority of Scots want.

“We all know how deep this opposition to innovation and to change has seeped into our society and institutions and too often public officials turn a blind eye as this noisy minority makes life more difficult for Scotland’s majority.”

Mr Sarwar will tell an audience that his promise will be to “champion Scotland’s ambitious majority” instead of institutions he claims are holding the country’s economy back.

“That means change is coming for the council officials who throw out planning applications that promise investment because it looks too much like hard work,” he will say.
 
“To the health board bosses who cover up deadly infections and would rather spend money on spin doctors instead of actual doctors.

“To the Nimbys that fight against the new houses we need to tackle the housing crisis.
 
“To the yobs who litter our streets, destroy our parks and disgrace our town centres and natural wonders.
 
“To the criminals and thugs whose antisocial behaviour wrecks our communities — a noisy few making life hell for the law-abiding many.”

Mr Sarwar will pledge to end what he claims is the SNP’s “soft touch” approach to offenders.

“We’ll be on the side of working people looking to build a better future, obeying the law, aspirational for their family and demanding a government that does the same,” he is expected to say.

Keith Brown, depute leader of the SNP, said Scots could already see what the consequences of a Labour government are.

He said: “Labour has done nothing to help people looking to build a better future and Anas Sarwar is wildly out of touch if he thinks he can hide the grim reality of what Labour has inflicted on them already in one year – rising energy bills, cuts to the elderly and disabled, rising national insurance costs and a litany of broken promises.

“Scotland deserves better. Under John Swinney, the SNP is showing that we can deliver better when we have the powers to do so – whether that’s lifting children out of poverty through policies like the Scottish Child Payment or improving health by providing thousands of extra GP appointments and NHS procedures.

“The SNP will continue to focus on delivering for the people of Scotland and show that independence is the fresh start that Scotland needs.”