Anas Sarwar: 'It won't be long till Reform accuses me of coming off a boat'

“I come here quite a bit with my middle son. The rule is: Watch football with the eldest, play pool with the middle one and watch wrestling with the youngest,” says the Scottish Labour leader.

I’ve arranged to meet Mr Sarwar in Glasgow’s Southside as part of a series of interviews in which we take part in a hobby or interest of the Scottish party leaders while quizzing them ahead of next month’s Holyrood election.

I had been forewarned by Labour people that Mr Sarwar is better than the average punter at pool. On a trip to the north east of Scotland, he once beat his head of communications 14 times in a row.

Having played the game “far too much” in his university days, the Scottish Labour leader now uses it as a means to spend quality time with his middle son.

“He refuses to let me let him win. Very competitive,” he says.

Immediately I can tell Mr Sarwar is a strong player. He pots a couple of balls straight away but after I fluff my first shot he decides to take it easy on me.

Despite his obvious talents, the 43-year-old is not the best at pool in the party.

“I’ll tell you who’s a secret pool shark: Ed Miliband.”

When people heard that we were playing pool, I was told by several sources that the UK Energy Secretary had ‘grannied’ the Scottish Labour leader in a match years ago.

Did Mr Miliband really beat Mr Sarwar without him potting a ball?

“He did,” the Glasgow native confirmed. “We were both at the Co-op factory and Sky News were following us about. This was when he was the UK Labour leader.

“There was a pool table in the staff room. I thought I’d be quite smart and challenge him to a game of pool.

“I went for the break and took an easy shot, thinking: ‘This guy, Rubik’s Cube kid, he’s not going to be good at pool, is he?’

“And I’ll tell you, he grannied me. He grannied me and the Sky News cameras were there to pick it all up.”

Was he embarrassed? “I try not to talk about it,” said Mr Sarwar.

Mr Sarwar was targeted by a Reform advert last year which claimed he had said he would prioritise the Pakistani community.

He has clashed with Malcolm Offord, accusing him of racism. The Scots Reform leader hit back, saying Mr Sarwar had spoken to him about “working together to get rid of the SNP”.

We are meeting the day after the STV leaders debate in Edinburgh. The standout moment had been when Lord Offord boasted about owning six houses, six boats and five cars.

“I've got one house. I've got a car. My wife's got a car,” says Mr Sarwar.

“I've got no boats, but only a matter of time before Reform accuse me of coming off one.”

Read more: 'Every single person tells me they want to be like me', says Reform's Malcolm Offord

Like Lord Offord, Mr Sarwar’s personal wealth has been scrutinised by his opponents. His family owns a multi-million pound cash and carry business.

Asked if he and Lord Offord could form a millionaires club in Holyrood, Mr Sarwar says: “My only income is from my Scottish Parliament job as an MSP. As you know, I don't have or own any business assets. I'm focused on public service.”

The SNP is at its lowest point in years. With the Nationalist vote down nearly a third compared to five years ago, it should present an opportunity for Labour to return to Bute House.

But the polls don’t look good for Mr Sarwar. Every survey shows that Labour has failed to close the gap on the SNP - with some putting the Nationalists nearly 20 points ahead.

Many have also suggested that Labour could come third - behind Reform - and even lose seats. This is despite 2021 being the party’s worst ever result, where it won 22 seats, 21.6 per cent of the constituency vote and 17.9 per cent of the list vote.

Somehow, the Scottish Labour leader remains optimistic.

“I think the polls are misreading some of what's happening underlying in individual communities,” says Mr Sarwar.

“I think there is a broader point around how some of the particularly MRP polling, how they are mapping out different demographics.

“I think they're getting wrong, if I'm frank, compared to other parts of the country.”

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He continues: “But ultimately, my job is to persuade people, and I've got to persuade people, in the last few days, that one, change is possible, and that Scottish Labour is the only route to change.

“Reform can stop change. The SNP can't be change. Only Scottish Labour can be changed in this election campaign. That's the argument I've got to make.

“And genuinely, if I went just purely by polls, I wouldn't have got the result I did in 2022, I wouldn't have got the result we did in Rutherglen in 2023, we wouldn't have got the result we did in 2024 the general election, the result we did in 2025 in the Hamilton by-election.

“I'm hoping to prove pollsters and commentators wrong, like I've done the last five years, this year in the election.”

Would he resign if he fails to win?

“I am focused not on hypotheticals like you are paid to do. I'm focused on persuading, and my intention is to win this election, is to be First Minister,” Mr Sarwar says.

“But of course, that's up to the great people of this country that I've got to persuade over the next week.”

Before entering politics, Mr Sarwar worked as a dentist in Paisley for five years.

His wife has also worked as a dentist in Scotland’s biggest town.

But he says he won’t be returning to his former trade when he eventually stands down as an MSP.

“I'm more the kind of the guy that when he's he's done something, he goes and does something else. So I'm doing my public service this way, and that's what I'll continue to do.”

He adds: “I don't think I'll be getting the tools back out.”