Anas Sarwar refuses to say whether he gave North Lanarkshire councillors a 'bollocking' over closures

Anas Sarwar refused to say whether he gave Labour representatives on North Lanarkshire Council a "bollocking" after they planned a mass closure of sports and leisure facilities.

The Scottish Labour leader said he "doesn't blame" the councillors for having to make difficult decisions because "they don't have a fair funding settlement from an SNP Scottish Government".

North Lanarkshire Council had planned to close 39 swimming pools, sports centres, libraries and other community services to plug a budget shortfall.

But a statement was released saying that the proposed closures would not go ahead while Sarwar was talking to reporters.

Sarwar was on the campaign trail outside a police station in Cambuslang ahead of the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election on Thursday.

When asked if he had given North Lanarkshire Labour councillors a "bollocking", he said: "As I've made clear, I don't blame Labour councillors, I don't blame SNP councillors.

"I think councillors across the country are having to make really, really difficult decisions that they do not want to be because they don't have a fair funding settlement from an SNP Scottish Government.

"And so my call would be whether you're a SNP councillor or whether you're a Labour councillor, let's work together to demand a fair funding deal for local authorities, local communities, stand up for your local community first, not for an SNP Scottish Government."

When pressed on whether he dished out a "bollocking", Sarwar said: "Look, I've made my views very clear."

He also refused to say if he agreed with 12 councillors, two Labour MSPs and two Westminster candidates if the closures should be halted.

While Sarwar was speaking to reporters, a woman tried to report to the police that she was being followed, but the station was shut.

The woman was from Blantyre and did not go to the police station there as it is only open part time.

She ended up having to go to Rutherglen as that was the nearest open police station.

She said: "My local one is Blantyre and that's already closed, so I thought I'd come straight up here.

"I'm quite upset."

Labour MSP Paul O'Kane then saw the woman to her car.

Sarwar said afterwards: I think what you saw from that lady who came here is really heart-breaking.

"She lives in Blantyre, she doesn't live in Cambuslang. She went to a Blantyre police station, which she says it was only open part time and no one was there.

"She then came from Blantyre here to Cambuslang, came to this conclusion, which again is only temporarily open, nobody was here. And now she's going to have to find a third police station."

He added: "I think you've seen a very stark example of what happens to people across our communities and across our country.

"And that's why the SNP have to end the secrecy, have to come clean, they have to tell us what the plans are for police stations across the country.

"[That is] the fundamental principle of what a government is all about delivering security for their communities and communities feel less secure because many folk can't access police stations and that has to be addressed."

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