Summary

  • Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross were quizzed by Martin Geissler on BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show

  • Sarwar said it was "nonsense" to talk about Labour securing a "super majority" in the general election

  • He added that having a "grown up conversation" about immigration and the "broken asylum system" was needed. Sarwar acknowledged that legal migration was too high

  • Ross said that aspects of the Conservative campaign - including the alleged betting scandal - have been "very difficult" but voters on the doorsteps were telling him that they were "so annoyed" with the SNP in government in Scotland

  • He added that tackling immigration was important and the Rwanda scheme to deport asylum seekers was just beginning and was acting as a deterrent

  • During the past four weeks Scotland's political leaders have taken part in individual interviews and live audience debates

  • This is the penultimate weekend in which parties will be on the campaign trail

  • Voters go to the polls on Thursday, 4 July

  1. Goodbyepublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 23 June

    That's all from The Sunday Show live page team for today.

    Join us again next Sunday morning for the next in our series of leader interviews.

    In the meantime, you can keep up to date with all the latest election news on the BBC Scotland website.

    Your writers today were Craig Hutchison and Ashleigh Keenan-Bryce. The page was edited by Catherine Lyst and Claire Diamond.

  2. Key points: Anas Sarwar and Douglas Rosspublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 23 June

    This week's Sunday show had two leader interviews - one with Douglas Ross, another with Anas Sarwar.

    Here's a reminder of what the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar had to say:

    • Sarwar was keen to stress his party would create GB Energy with its HQ in Scotland, but no exact location was revealed
    • The Scottish Labour leader said net migration was too high and said the workforce in the UK needed 'upskilling'
    • To address the issues in the NHS, consultants must be encouraged to work more within the NHS
    • He defended plans to tax private schools, claiming the cash would go to state schools
    • Sarwar was forced to defend Labour's plan to keep two-child cap for benefits for now
    • He also insisted there was not a majority for another independence

    Next to face questions from Martin Geissler was Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross:

    • The Scottish Tories had a positive vision locally and nationally, Ross said
    • "It has been very difficult," accepted the Scottish Tory leader when asked about the scandal hit campaign
    • But, he insisted: "People are fed up with the SNP"
    • Ross declined to answer what sanctions would be put in place for those refusing to do national service, instead saying it would be up to a Royal Commission to decide
    • Public services must be improved to attract migrants to Scotland
    • However, he said, adding that the Rwanda policy was a 'deterrent' for human traffickers
    • Ross said issues such as the NHS, schools and the police service had been ignored by the SNP who have focused too much on independence
  3. Who should I vote for?published at 12:42 British Summer Time 23 June

    If you're wondering what are the parties promising, BBC News has a tool to help.

    This guide offers a summary of where parties stand on key topics to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.

  4. Analysis

    Scottish parties looking ahead to 2026published at 12:20 British Summer Time 23 June

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland chief political correspondent

    While all eyes are on the election taking place in 11 days time, Scotland's parties are acutely aware they'll face another poll in 2026.

    The next Holyrood election will bring both opportunities and challenges for Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives, depending on the outcome on 4 July.

    If Labour forms the next UK government, Anas Sarwar will hope to build on that momentum with a run at Bute House.

    But there could be some difficult moments between now and then, especially if Labour's promised vision of economic growth and a publicly-owned energy company proves challenging to deliver.

    And what about those independence supporters who Labour is attempting to persuade to lend the party their vote? Mr Sarwar won't be drawn on how or when another referendum could happen, so will they stick around in 2026?

    Douglas Ross meanwhile is in the curious position of already having announced his resignation.

    If their counterparts south of the border lose badly next month, the Scottish Conservatives will have the opportunity to regroup and possibly change direction.

    They might even be tempted to revisit the idea of breaking away from the UK party entirely.

  5. Swinney: Parliament stamps not used for campaignpublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 23 June

    Media caption,

    Will SNP drop independence demand if it doesn't get most Scottish seats?

    Earlier this morning, SNP leader and Scotland's first minister John Swinney was interviewed by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg.

    She began her interview by challenging him on reports that the SNP had used stamps paid for by the Scottish Parliament during this campaign.

    Swinney said he was "confident" that no public money had been used on the SNP's election campaign.

    He said he had been "assured that no parliamentary stamps that have been provided by Parliament have been used to support election purposes."

    His comments came after the Sunday Mail reported Mr Swinney's office manager telling an SNP staff WhatsApp group chat that "stamp fairy is very useful when it comes to campaigns".

    The party is under investigation by Scottish Parliament officials after an anonymous complaint about the stamp use was submitted to Holyrood's presiding officer Alison Johnstone.

  6. Have the manifestos made a difference this week?published at 12:02 British Summer Time 23 June

    Prof Ailsa Henderson, of Edinburgh University, tells the Sunday Show on Radio Scotland there has been one Scottish poll since last week.

    She explains it was done by Savanta and it suggested a five point lead between the two Scottish front-runners - the SNP and Scottish Labour.

    "Last week the story was one of a narrowing gap. This week is a slightly different story with the same front-runner."

    Across the UK there have been 18 polls in the last week, with the Labour lead ranging from 11 points to 27 points.

    Have the manifestos made a difference?

    The academic explains: "The manifestos have at best an indirect effect on vote choice, and when people say 'I think this party has the best policies', what they're actually saying is 'I just like this party best'."

  7. Analysis

    Gaps in Tories' national service policypublished at 11:38 British Summer Time 23 June

    Jenni Davidson
    BBC Scotland senior politics reporter

    One of the Conservatives’ flagship policies in this election is the idea of introducing national service for 18-year-olds.

    They’ve said that while the military option will be optional, national service itself will be compulsory.

    But they are struggling to explain what will happen if young people refuse to do it.

    In the Question Tim leader’s special on Thursday, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said there would be “sanctions and incentives”.

    He mentioned possible penalties could include losing access to finance or to driving licences, but it wasn’t clear what exactly he was thinking of.

    And when asked about it today, Douglas Ross had even less to say about it. His answer was to refer to a royal commission being set up to look at it.

    It’s clear there are some gaps in the detail on this policy.

  8. Analysis

    Labour don't want voters to be complacentpublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 23 June

    Jenni Davidson
    BBC Scotland senior politics reporter

    Anas Sarwar pushed back strongly against the suggestion that Labour might win a supermajority – a huge majority of seats – at Westminster.

    He pointed out that not a single vote has been cast yet and every vote counts. And that reaction is not surprising.

    Perhaps the biggest threat to Labour at this election right now is not a policy one, it’s the idea that a Labour win is foregone conclusion, that they cannot lose possibly this election.

    It’s a risk to Labour because if voters believe a Labour majority is safe no matter what, they may feel they don’t need to turn out and vote Labour on election day.

    And if too many voters think this, it risks losing them seats.

    All the polls may suggest a win for Labour, but it’s clear they’re not complacent and they don’t want voters to be either.

  9. The Sunday Show continues on radio - stick with uspublished at 11:25 British Summer Time 23 June

    The Sunday Show on is now finished on TV, but the programme continues on the radio.

    You can listen along if you refresh this page and hit the play icon at the top.

  10. I have messaged David Duguid, says Rosspublished at 11:24 British Summer Time 23 June

    Douglas Ross says he has "messaged back and forth" with David Duguid.

    He says that, as seen from Duguid's social media, he is "making improvements" and has been in hospital in Glasgow since April.

    Martin Geissler asks whether he has actually spoken to Duguid. Ross says the messaging has been relating to when they will be able to speak and hopes they are able to do that soon.

    He adds: "I understand David wanted to stand in this outstanding seat I'm in in today. I understand and respect that but a decision was taken by the management board and they wanted to focus on David's recovery."

  11. The UK is a voluntary union, says Rosspublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 23 June

    Ross says issues such as the NHS, schools and police service have been "ignored" as the SNP focus on independence.

    Asked by Martin Geissler if the United Kingdom is a "voluntary union", Ross says he believes it is and this was enforced in 2014 when Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

    He says: "The SNP have never respected the views of the Scottish people to remain part of the United Kingdom. They have agitated for separation ever since and that has been at the expense of key public and local services that people rely on."

  12. There have been challenges and opportunities with leaving EU, says Rosspublished at 11:15 British Summer Time 23 June

    Martin asks the Scottish Conservative leader whether eight years on from the Brexit vote, did Britain make the wrong decision?

    Ross says when you give people the chance to express their view, you have to respect it.

    He says: "It's a mandate by the people of the United Kingdom.

    "There have been challenges with leaving the EU but there have also been opportunities with leaving the EU."

  13. Rwanda policy is a 'deterrent' says Rosspublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 23 June

    The Scottish Conservative leader says the Rwanda scheme is "just beginning and is acting as a deterrent".

    Ross says the policy has "put people off" crossing the English Channel by putting more people in boats, resulting in more fatalities.

    He says: "The scheme is just getting operational now. We have to ensure we make it as difficult as possible for illegal people traffickers to focus on the vulnerable seeking to cross the Channel."

  14. Scotland needs to be 'attractive' to immigrants, says Rosspublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 23 June

    Asked whether there should be Scottish specific visas, Douglas Ross says that despite record numbers of people coming into the UK, Scotland is not as attractive and to fix this, public services have to be improved.

    He says: "We can do an awful lot with the powers we have here in Scotland if we didn't have a Scottish government who were obsessed with independence."

  15. What sanctions will be in place with national service?published at 11:04 British Summer Time 23 June

    Martin changes topic to address the introduction of national service proposed by the Tories and the plan for sanctions.

    He asks Douglas Ross if he knows what those sanctions might be.

    The Scottish Tory leader answers that a Royal Commission will be set up to look at national service.

  16. 'People are fed up with the SNP' - Rosspublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 23 June

    Martin Geissler says people "simply don't trust the Conservatives any more".

    Douglas Ross says his party will present a programme to deliver for people right across Scotland over the next five years.

    The Scottish Conservative leader will launch his party's manifesto tomorrow.

    "People are fed up with the SNP," he says.

  17. Ross accepts Tory campaign is 'very difficult'published at 10:58 British Summer Time 23 June

    Douglas Ross

    Martin raises the issue of the betting scandal overshadowing the Tory election campaign.

    "It has been very difficult, I'm not going to shy away from that," Ross replies.

    The Scottish Tory leader has resigned, but will stay in place until the election.

    Ross says the SNP will obsess about Scotland and people are annoyed with the SNP government.

  18. The interview with Douglas Ross begins...published at 10:56 British Summer Time 23 June

    Martin Geissler turns to the Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and begins the interview by asking if he fears a Labour landslide or if he is still optimistic.

    Ross says he wants to get as much support for the Tories in Scotland and insists he has a "positive vision we have locally and nationally".

    He stresses the Conservative priorities include the NHS and education.

  19. Who is Douglas Ross?published at 10:55 British Summer Time 23 June

    Scottish Conservative leader Douglas RossImage source, PA Media

    Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has said he will resign after the general election.

    It follows a row over Ross standing as a candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East instead of David Duguid, who has been in hospital and was in effect de-selected.

    Douglas Ross has led the Scottish Tories since August 2020 following the surprise resignation of Jackson Carlaw.

    He was an MP at Westminster at the time but not an MSP, so for the first nine months of his leadership Ruth Davidson led the party in the Scottish Parliament.

    Ross, who is still only 41, was born in Aberdeen and attended Forres Academy before going to the Scottish Agricultural College.

    Before his move into politics, he worked as a dairyman at local farms.

    He was first elected to Moray Council in 2007, at the age of 24, and became part of the Independent/Conservative administration.

    He stood unsuccessfully for the Moray seat at the general elections in 2010 and 2015 but he was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a regional list MSP in 2016.

    However, he stood down from Holyrood the following year when he was finally elected to the House of Commons, unseating SNP stalwart Angus Robertson who had held the seat for 16 years.

    He returned to Holyrood when he became a list MSP for the Highlands and Islands in 2021.

    Read more here.

    You can find a full list of the candidates standing in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East here.

  20. Where does Anas Sarwar stand on independence?published at 10:54 British Summer Time 23 June

    On the question of Scottish independence, Anas Sarwar says he does not support independence or another referendum.

    There isn't a consistent majority for independence, he says, and there isn't a majority for a referendum just now.