17/04/2026
Lesley Riddoch: If we want to send a message to the UK then we must assemble on May 8
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IT’S tempting to savour Anas Sarwar’s predicament after this week’s Channel Four debate when Malcolm Offord claimed the Scottish Labour leader tried to discuss working with him to defeat the SNP.
On the one hand, it beggars belief that a man who made history as the first Muslim and person of colour to lead a major political party in the UK, would say anything to his lordship, let alone hatch an electoral pact.
On the other, it is totally astonishing to see how political opponents can drop hostilities and pucker up once the cameras have departed – as Better Together demonstrated perfectly. Maybe that experience was habit-forming.
As someone approached by Sarwar shortly before his election as Scottish Labour leader, I’ll say the guy combines a lot of nerve and self-belief with a near total inability to see a point-blank refusal staring him in the face.
I said there’s no way I will ever support a Unionist party again. Sarwar didn’t bat an eyelid and listed the things he hoped to achieve as Labour leader. The encounter was strained and awkward.
But, I wasn’t in a party that claimed “Anas Sarwar will prioritise the Pakistani community” during a recent by-election. You’d imagine that alone would make it impossible for Labour and Reform to coorie in now.
Still, former SNP spin doctor Murray Foote tweeted about Offord’s claim: “One of the things that makes it ring true … is the description of Sarwar “bounding up” to him. It’s exactly how Sarwar would do it – like an ebullient Tigger. That detail sounds too accurate to be made up.”
Meanwhile, according to Gina Davidson, LBC’s Scotland correspondent on Twitter: “Max Bannerman, formerly Offord’s aide, who the Reform leader says witnessed Sarwar’s conversation, has told me … ‘I am being truthful, I was there and I witnessed it, and that is accurate’.”
But whatever really happened, the bust-up has done one very useful thing. It’s reminded Yessers that life after the Scottish election is approaching fast, and it’s very likely to deliver a pro-independence parliament.
After four such achievements in a row, that’s nothing new. But what’s old to us might be newly significant around the UK, Europe and the world. The media is plainly both fascinated and astonished that Labour leaders cannot answer a simple question – how does Scotland become independent?
It has become something of a sport. And thankfully, London-based LBC is getting quite good at it. (Hint: BBC and Bauer – isn’t this your patch as well?)
For example, we only know Wes Streeting holds half the Scottish people in complete contempt because Lewis Goodall from LBC bothered to ask him: “How do the Scots get another referendum” over and over again in the face of growing and bristling hostility. This is game-changing.
Until now, the UK press and media have found everything to do with Scotland completely tedious.
There’s a performative element in their sallies north, even during this election campaign, where London-based programme makers are clearly bored out of their skulls by the sheer mundanity of it all.
It was the same around the referendum when entertainment add-ons were needed in the shape of George Galloway and Nigel Farage to keep Middle England viewing Scottish editions of Question Time.
But something is changing. It might be the imminent victory by Plaid Cymru in Wales – heavens tae Betsy, we’re all at it!
It might be the lack of respect amongst the chattering class for the badly broken Keir Starmer, who remains in post only because his successors look worse.
It might be the fact that an English Reform victory has scared London sh*tless and they’re looking north for some sensible politics … because if they lived here, they’d be voting for independence too.
Fa kens.
But more and more commentators are picking up this impossible-to-answer question and throwing it at senior Unionists – without any orchestration by independence supporters.
In the fiercely competitive world of the London media, once someone goes over the top, the rest add that successful question to their own repertoire. A process that will accelerate hugely if the SNP win 65 seats but will also proceed if there is “only” a combined pro-independence SNP/Green majority.
First-past-the-post London commentators have finally grasped there are proportional parliaments that often run without overall majorities because they’ve had to get their head round the new proportional system in Wales. If Plaid beat Reform to become the largest party in Wales on May 8, no-one will be quibbling or diminishing that historic achievement. Everyone will call that a win.
And what’s good for the Welsh goose is good for the Scots gander.
In addition, something totally new will have happened.
On May 8, in all probability, each devolved nation will be run by a party that wants to break up the UK.
This may be the big excitement of the night.
The question is, how to make the most of it?
I realise many Yessers cannot believe there will be any interest from network TV or radio, but I’m here to tell you there will. And we will kick ourselves later if we fail to plan now because of justifiable anger after being ignored for the last 12 years.
Put it this way. All the media will be outside Holyrood at 6pm on Friday May 8.
Will they be standing outside an empty building or will Yessers be there celebrating a win for independence and demanding Scotland’s right to choose?
Now I’ll grant you. Many people have got completely fed up asking Westminster for a referendum they will never grant. And some hope legal process at the UN will unlock powers for the Scottish Government, without needing permission at all.
If that last avenue opens up – fine. But the one that will stretch before us on May 8 will be the denial of Scotland’s democratic right to choose its future. And that will be obvious even to a Reform voter in Surrey.
So, I suggest we use that moment and gather to demand Scotland’s right to choose after electing a decisively pro-independence Scottish Parliament. If we don’t appear determined, why should anyone else care?
If we aren’t outraged by the automatic Labour snub, who else will be?
Yes, it’s been hard to keep that going for more than a decade. But when you’re fed up making a point repeatedly, others may only have just started to really listen.
Gathering behind such a broad banner would replicate the process that achieved a Scottish Parliament in the first place. Indeed, I’d guess that a Scotland’s right to choose campaign would coax unhappy high-profile Labour folk into the open, along with other civic society players who have kept their powder dry so far.
Some might even say they don’t support independence but do support Scotland’s right to decide.
As the late, great William McIlvanney said, Scotland’s national saying is not “Wha daur mess wi me”, it is “That’s no fair”. And it patently isn’t.
Private conversations suggest there is plenty of covert support which may be ready to go public if Scottish Labour and its current leader are roundly defeated.
So, the question is, what will we do about it?
Keep our fingers crossed, hoping the political parties will create some excitement – frankly, they’ll be knackered by the election campaign.
Or encourage all Yes groups to work together on a rally outside Holyrood on Friday May 8 at 6pm that responds directly to the election result.
Not Saturday, though easier for travel, because there are far fewer weekend news bulletins. Sadly, not Saturday, May 1, either.
All Under One Banner has a scheduled Glasgow march – I’ll be there, but the result won’t be in.
Timing and location are key.
Counting begins at 9am Friday, May 8. The result should be in or apparent by 6pm. The media will be reporting it from outside Holyrood.
We should be there.
Indy ain’t over till it’s won.
Even though we’re tired, there’s a window opening, and we must be ready.
