Better Together chief Alistair Darling has backed Anas Sarwar in the Scottish Labour leadership contest.

The former Labour chancellor said he thinks Sarwar is the best candidate to take on the SNP and the Tories, and return the party to power.

The Glasgow MSP is running for the top job against Central Scotland MSP Richard Leonard. He is seen as the underdog in the race, with Leonard - who is closer politically to UK leader Jeremy Corbyn - securing the support of the party's biggest union backers.

Darling is one of Corbyn's harshest critics, saying earlier in the year that the Corbyn was “the leader right up to the general election”, but that “leaders come and go".

The National:

Sarwar was previously a major critic of Corbyn, yet is now an enthusiastic supporter. He has pledged to lobby the Labour leader to keep the UK in the European single market and customs union after Brexit if he is elected leader of Scottish Labour.

Darling said: "Labour is now in a three-way fight for the future of Scotland. Our next leader needs to be able to take on both the Tories and the SNP, both of whom will be fighting to be the biggest party in the Scottish Parliament.

"To beat them both we need a leader who is unequivocally for staying in the UK and unequivocally pro-European. There is no doubt where Anas stands on both these crucial issues."

He added: "That's why I'm supporting him, not just as next leader, but as the next Labour First Minister of Scotland."