Andrew Marr takes swipe at John Swinney and backs Anas Sarwar for First Minister
Andrew Marr has taken a swipe at John Swinney and backed Anas Sarwar to become First Minister. The former BBC political editor suggested SNP leader Swinney was not a “proper, grown up first minister”.
He also said it would be “great” for Scottish Labour leader Sarwar to lead Scotland after the 2026 Holyrood election. Marr was speaking during a Fabian Society event on Tuesday evening with Scottish Labour leader Sarwar at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
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The Glasgow-born journalist was forced to be neutral during his time at the BBC but has been much more pro-Labour since leaving in 2021 and has been supportive of Keir Starmer’s leadership.
He rounded off the hour-long conversation with Sarwar by saying: “We’ve run out of time I’m afraid. “Wouldn’t it be great to imagine in Scotland a proper, grown up first minister?”
An SNP source said: "We don't need to imagine."
Marr was BBC political editor between 2000 and 2005. After stepping down from the role, he began presenting the BBC’s flagship news programme, The Andrew Marr Show.
He hosted this programme for 16 years before it was taken over by his fellow Scot and ex-BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg. He left the BBC in 2021 to become the New Statesman's political editor. He also hosts an LBC show.
Marr was raised in Longforgan, Perth and Kinross. He was educated at the private Craigflower Preparatory School, High School of Dundee and Loretto College. He was regarded as left-wing in his youth and was a member of the Socialist Campaign Group, which former leader Jeremy Corbyn was part of.
Sarwar is hoping to oust Swinney as First Minister at the 2026 Holyrood election. But his chances may have been harmed by the cutting of the Winter Fuel Payment, as Scottish Labour has slumped in the polls. The SNP was approached for comment.
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