FORMER Scottish Labour deputy leader Anas Sarwar has unnerved his colleagues after booking out a 500-seater venue with an offer of free dinner to set out his vision for the party.

In the clear first move of his anticipated political comeback, Mr Sarwar, who lost his Glasgow Central Westminster seat in May, has contacted parliamentarians, councillors and activists with an invite to hear his "view on the future of the Labour Party and Scotland".

Guests at the Riverside Palace will be treated to dinner at a restaurant on Glasgow's south side which bills itself as "one of Scotland's leading banqueting venues", holds up to 500 people and "boasts a high degree of elegance and grandeur".

The move has raised eyebrows amongst senior party figures, who believe it is a clear pitch to re-position himself at Scottish Labour's top table.

With Labour's candidate rules changed, Mr Sarwar is expected to top Glasgow's regional list, which now must be based on a male and female taking the top two slots.

Despite several Glasgow constituencies yet to nominate their Labour candidate, it is understood Mr Sarwar had ruled out a head-to-head with the SNP as his route back to politics.

But in what some colleagues describe as being akin to a one-man show, questions are being asked as to why, after four years as deputy, Mr Sarwar is now seeking a fresh platform for his views on the party.

One parliamentarian said: "The present and future of the Labour Party isn't about an individual's view. It's a collective approach, a team approach. Do the people on the street want to see one person's party vision?

"People are nervous about Anas going to the Scottish Parliament. There's been lots of talk about how those who didn't make it as an MP might behave at Holyrood.

"As for Anas being at the top or very near it, that's a reasonable assumption to make."

Another frontline politician questioned whether Mr Sarwar was in breach of rules as the blanket invites could be construed as canvassing. But a Labour spokesman said that as Mr Sarwar was not a candidate that did not apply, adding: "Anas going to dinner to talk about the party is not something for us to get engaged with."

One well-placed insider said: "There are question marks over whether (current deputy leader) Alex Rowley will be returned as he;s adamant he's just fighting a constituency and not a list seat. Maybe Anas is already seeing a vacancy."

Under previous leader Jim Murphy, Labour changed the rules regarding its regional lists with sitting MSPs no longer guaranteed top billing.

Instead it is based on gender balance, with four regions headed by a male and four by a female. Former leader Johann Lamont is expected to be one or two on the Glasgow list. With a maximum of five seats up for grabs via the list and all current Glasgow MSPs looking a place much jockeying is expected in the weeks ahead.

Nominations have to be submitted by November 23, with the shortlisting competed by December 5. Members can vote from early January with competed lists announced the following month.

Glasgow SNP MSP James Dornan said: "This is an inappropriate and crass attempt by yesterday's man Anas Sarwar to attract our attention. Questons have to be asked about who is paying for this and at a time when people are suffering from welfare cuts whether the money would've been better used on his charity work than slap-up meals for his cronies to further his career. He had four years to tell Scotland his ideas for Labour."

The Herald attempted to contact Mr Sarwar but he was unavailable.