Focus must be on push for 2026

LABOUR conference in Liverpool and the rest of 2025 are a write-off for Anas Sarwar.

- PAUL HUTCHEON

The Scottish Labour leader's party is 17 points behind the SNP in the race for Holyrood and Sarwar badly needs momentum.

But the next three months will bring him pain rather than political gain.

Conference will be a showcase of Labour divisions, with a fractious deputy leadership contest and Andy Burnham's every utterance dominating the airwaves.

Public squabbles will then be followed by the slow march towards Chancellor Rachel Reeves' £30billion-cuts Budget in November.

Unpopular ideas will be trailed in advance and the final package will produce howls of anger from affected groups.