Last night on STV’s debate between the two candidates fighting each other to be the next leader of Scottish Labour, Anas Sarwar proudly claimed, that as an MSP, he was a “living wage” employer.

Yet it was reported today that the millionaire only registered as an accredited Living Wage employer after entering the leadership race.

Though that doesn’t mean Sarwar has ever paid his parliamentary employees less than the living wage, the fact that it took him over a year from being elected to registering was jumped on by opponents.

The millionaire has come under pressure over pay rates at family firm, United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd. Jobs were being advertising at around £1 an hour less than the living wage of £8.45 promoted by Scottish Labour.

Sarwar’s left-wing rival Richard Leonard registered as a living wage employer in late 2016.

SNP MP James Dornan said: “It’s good to see Anas Sarwar finally join the long list of living-wage accredited MSPs.

“But his hypocrisy has been exposed, and it would have been welcome if he’d embraced the real living wage early for his family firm.”

A spokesman for Leonard added: “Richard pays his staff at least the real living wage and has done so since they were employed.”

A spokesman for Sarwar said: “Anas pays all his employees more than the real living wage and has done so since being elected in 2016. He believes it should be mandatory for all employers and wants further radical policies such as a Scottish Child Tax Credit to lift 50,000 children out of poverty.”