A trade union boss has blasted Scottish Labour for “needlessly” hurtling towards a leadership contest after Anas Sarwar’s “thoughtless” resignation.
Louise Gilmour of the GMB said Sarwar’s reputation is in “bits” over his “self serving decision” to “cut and run”.
Scottish Labour is poised to pick their eleventh leader of the devolution era after Sarwar’s decision to join the House of Lords and Andy Burnham’s Government.
Contenders for the job include MSPs Michael Marra and Joe Fagan, as well as soon-to-be MSP Monica Lennon.
But Sarwar’s resignation has angered critics who believe he should have clung on to steer a soul-searching review of their May defeat to the SNP.
In a brutal take down of Sarwar, Gilmour wrote: “Anas Sarwar’s sudden resignation as the leader of Scottish Labour was, like most of his time in charge, predictable, thoughtless, and deeply disappointing.
“His self-serving decision to cut and run to London, the House of Lords and a walk-on role in Andy Burnham’s government leaves his reputation in bits and his party in dereliction.”
View 2 ImagesAnas Sarwar
The GMB Scotland Secretary added: “His sharp exit, weeks after steering Scottish Labour to its worst ever Holyrood election result, dismayed supporters, cheered opponents, and repelled voters.”
She wrote that a “better leader” would have waited to “let the dust settle” on his “decimated and demoralised” party.
She wrote: “That might have meant fresh leadership at some point but, in the short term, Sarwar could have steered the storm-lashed, broken-masted hulk of Scottish Labour to calm waters for emergency repairs and a proper assessment of the damage done.
“Instead, he abandons ship, grabs a lifebelt and goes over the side, before a review of the party’s hollow and calamitous election campaign – built on his own vibes-based leadership – is even written never mind understood.”
She said Labour should have “paused” the contest until a full review of Sarwar’s “personality and memes” based campaign had been reviewed.
She also urged Labour to focus on jobs, work and public services over constitutional issues:
“That means industrial strategies, underpinned by public procurement and government support, delivering good jobs, fair pay, apprenticeships, training, social cohesion and economic growth.
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“It means a properly-resourced, prioritised public sector, where decisions are devolved, social care is properly valued, and interminable talk and taskforces replaced with swift and effective action.”
She praised Burnham’s Government reset and added: “It is beyond time Scottish Labour had some answers of its own.”