by Bill Heaney
Anas Sarwar has pledged to “reset the balance between grieving families and powerful institutions” in the wake of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital scandal.
As Milly Main’s mum, Kimberly Darroch, speaks up about her experience, Scottish Labour pledged to deliver “Milly’s Law” to end the culture of cover-up in public life.
Milly’s Law would establish an independent public advocate who can act on behalf of bereaved families and investigate incidents, so that families get the truth when things go wrong.
In a new video, Kimberly Darroch talks about her fight for the truth about her daughter’s tragic death and the Health Board’s repeated denial of issues with water and ventilation.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “What happened at the QEUH was the worst scandal in the history of devolution.
“Catastrophic mistakes were made, and lives were tragically lost – and to make things worse, a campaign of cover-up and lies followed.
“Families going through some of the most difficult times of their lives were gaslit, and staff trying to do the right thing were bullied.
“From the Health Board leadership to the SNP government, powerful institutions closed ranks to protect themselves instead of giving families and patients the answers they deserve.
“It’s time to reset the balance between grieving families and powerful institutions and end the culture of cover-up.
“A Scottish Labour government led by me will deliver Milly’s Law in memory of Milly Main, and we will establish an independent public advocate to fight for families and get the truth.
“It’s time to end the dangerous secrecy, lies, and cover-up and deliver a new era of transparency and accountability in public life.”
“She underwent gruelling treatment – radiation. She was recovering well; she was actually waiting to get home.
“We discovered on her death certificate that the infection that caused the deterioration and her death was Stenotrophomonas, which is found in contaminated water supplies.
“The health board denied any issues with anything to do with the water and the ventilation right up until December 2025.
“I suspect that there was pressure applied to get the hospital open on time and on budget, given that there was an election coming up. Whether that played a part in what’s happened, I don’t know.
“Don’t get me wrong, the doctors and the nurses within the Royal Hospital for Children were fantastic.
“I saw an article in the Daily Record that the whistleblowers had come forward to Anas. I contacted Anas’ office straight away, and within an hour, I think, Anas had called me. He wanted to work with me to get the answers that I deserved.
“I think he’s an incredible man with an incredibly big heart. We need someone who is on the same wavelength as the people of Scotland. I wish people knew the real Anas Sarwar.”