“Sarwar for Scotland” is a new brand slogan and identity launched by Scottish Labour.
Scottish Labour are deliberately framing Holyrood 2026 as a presidential contest between Sarwar and Swinney. As Anas Sarwar put it PA:
“There are only two people explicitly standing to be First Minister in this country: that’s me and John Swinney.”
The polling reality is awkward but instructive. Sarwar’s favourability trails Swinney’s, but it’s stronger than the Scottish Conservatives’ Russell Findlay, and Reform simply don’t have a credible Scottish standard-bearer. Nigel Farage is the only recognisable figure, and he’s not on the ballot.
So Labour’s play is clear: collapse the anti-SNP vote behind one alternative by making the election a straight choice between two leaders.
As Sarwar puts it: “That’s the choice, that’s the debate, and that’s the campaign I relish.”
It’s also worth noting, that by focusing the campaign on Sarwar, it creates distance from the politician with the highest unfavourable ratings in the UK… Keir Starmer.
It’s a strong example of a political brand being deployed to deliver against a strategy. It should never be the other way around.
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