Anas Sarwar named Politician of the Year after spearheading Labour’s revival

Labour’s Anas Sarwar has been named Scottish Politician of the Year, collecting the coveted award for the second time in three years.

Mr Sarwar was given the prestigious honour in recognition of his role in spearheading Labour’s successful general election campaign in Scotland – which saw it go from having just one MP in 2019 to winning 37 seats on July 4.

First Minister John Swinney and deputy first minister Kate Forbes were shortlisted for the award in a year in which they both returned to Government after spells on the backbenches. Mr Swinney became SNP leader and First Minister following Humza Yousaf’s dramatic resignation in May, with Ms Forbes appointed as his deputy after that.

Collecting the honour at the Scottish Politician of the Year awards, organised annually by The Herald newspaper, on Thursday evening, Mr Sarwar said: “Lots of us came up and accepted awards today but in actual fact, none of us do these things individually.

“We are surrounded by phenomenal people and most often those phenomenal people aren’t named on the ballot paper.

“They’re our teams, they’re our staff and it’s all those people that every single one of us owes a massive thank you to.”

He scooped the same award in 2022, with Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie winning it last year as the party’s revival north of the border gathered pace.

Labour’s Ian Murray was named the Best Scot at Westminster at the awards, marking a year in which he became the Scottish Secretary.

Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill picked up the One to Watch award after she joined the Government just days after being elected as the Labour MP for Midlothian.

Former Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie was given the Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of her efforts both at Holyrood and in the House of Lords.

Elected to the Scottish Parliament in its first election in 1999, she went on to become the first woman to lead the Scottish Tories in 2005, a post she held for almost six years.

She stood down as party leader after the 2011 Holyrood election, but became the Tory constitution spokeswoman during the independence referendum campaign.

Created a life peer in 2013, Baroness Goldie served as a UK government whip in the House of Lords, before becoming a defence minister in 2019.

Collecting the honour during the ceremony at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh, she said: “This is the most delightful surprise and a very great honour.”

She reflected on entering the Scottish Parliament in 1999, saying: “I had an overwhelming sense of privilege and obligation.

“The public had put me there, the taxpayer was keeping me there and the deal was I had to serve.”

Mr Yousaf was named the Donald Dewar Debater of the Year, with the award given in recognition of his passionate speeches on the conflict in Gaza.

Ms Forbes was the winner of the Politics in Business award, marking her efforts to improve relationships between the Scottish Government and the business community.

The Public Campaign of the Year award went to families who demanded change following the suicides of young people in Polmont Young Offenders Institution, with regulations to prevent those aged under 18 being sent to young offender institutions coming into force in August of this year.

Jackson Carlaw was honoured for his work as convener of Holyrood’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee, taking the award of Committee MSP of the Year after the committee carried out an inquiry into the delays in dualling the A9 road from Perth to Inverness.

West of Scotland Green MSP Ross Greer was named Community MSP of the Year after successfully leading a campaign to stop Flamingo Land from building a resort on the banks of Loch Lomond.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater collected the ScottishPower Green Champion award, winning the honour the year after her fellow co-leader Patrick Harvie did so.

Fiona Hennerby, a Labour member of West Dunbartonshire Council, received the Scottish Local Politician of the Year award in recognition of her work with the Bags of Love charity, which provides backpacks full of essential items for vulnerable young people, as well as her work at a local community pantry.