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Defiant Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar today told his critics they underestimate his chances of success in the Scottish elections in May.<\/p>\n
Pollsters and other commentators have said last night\u2019s devastating defeat for Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election has made it less likely Mr Sarwar will get the keys to Bute House.<\/p>\n
He responded with a robust attack on the SNP and Reform and a list of policies he would introduce, from cutting the number of quangos to a pledge to build 125,000 houses.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderestimate me and the people in this room at your peril, because this is an opportunity we will not miss,\u201d he told delegates attending the party\u2019s spring conference in Paisley.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to switch the focus away from Westminster politics, he said: \u201cIt is about the future of our country. More of the same managed decline with the SNP. Or new energy, new ideas and new leadership for Scotland with Scottish Labour.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister, however, was the absentee Labour member whose influence over the Holyrood election could not be ignored. <\/p>\n
Mr Sarwar insisted before the event that Sir Keir was \u201cnever going to attend\u201d, despite him being at every other conference in Scotland.<\/p>\n The Scottish Labour leader has said he wants the election to be about Scottish Labour, Scottish politics and Scotland.<\/p>\n He promised a \u201chousebuilding revolution\u201d backed by a new housing investment bank to oversee the building of 125,000 homes over the next five years.<\/p>\n A housing investment bank would support long term building, offsite construction, and help finance the expansion of mid-market rentals.<\/p>\n Housing Development\u00a0Trusts with the power to \u201cact entrepreneurially\u201d will deliver homes in every region.<\/p>\n A pledge to resolve the housing emergency was part of his plan to lift people out of poverty, <\/p>\n \u201cIn ten weeks, Scotland faces a real choice: a third decade of SNP failure, or a Scottish Labour government that will get Scotland building again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n His plans also include a \u201c\u00a31 homes scheme\u201d to bring empty and derelict properties back into use, as well as creating a new generation of construction apprenticeships.<\/p>\n \u201cFixing the housing crisis is how we lift people out of poverty, create jobs, grow the economy, and give more families the chance to own a home,\u201d he told delegates at Paisley Town Hall.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is scandalous that in a country like ours there are people sleeping rough on our streets. So a commitment I make again is that I will act to end rough sleeping once and for all.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is my ambition for Scotland: homes to live in, jobs to build them, and a country where every child has a place to call home.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Sarwar made several references to the \u201cfailed\u201d SNP while describing Reform UK as \u201cTories in disguise\u201d who \u201cdon\u2019t care about Scotland\u201d.<\/p>\n \t <\/div>\n![\"Construction,](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Construction-housebuilding.png\")