FOR a politician facing the most chastening period of his career Anas Sarwar appears unrattled as he breezes into a cafe close to the Scottish Parliament.

"I'm thoroughly enjoying the contest," he says despite spending the day responding to a row at Holyrood's First Minister's questions that saw him attacked by Nicola Sturgeon for his family's firm failure to pay all staff the 'real' living wage.

If he feels that his campaign to lead Scottish Labour is in crisis amid accusations of hypocrisy he doesn't show it as he asks for a cappuccino and glass of water with ice on his entry to the cafe.

"I accept that I'm the underdog, but I'm an underdog that likes to fight," says Sarwar, who was thought to be a shoo-in as Scottish Labour leader with a well-resourced campaign backed by most of his party's members at Holyrood.

He adds: "The reality is that I've never thought I was the frontrunner in this contest," of the leadership battle with Richard Leonard, who last month was largely unknown to the public.

"I'm not the establishment candidate, far from it," Sarwar says despite him previously serving as Scottish Labour deputy leader during the independence referendum campaign and as an MP from 2010-15.

"Any suggestion I'm the establishment candidate when the other candidate has been running the Labour Party as a member of the Scottish executive for 20 years is frankly laughable," he says in a dig at Leonard and his role with the party before he entered Holyrood last year.

But if Sarwar relishes the political fight then the Glasgow MSP has got one, as he faces criticism over his family's company – United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd (UWS) – which recently advertised for jobs that pay £7.50 an hour, below the 'real' minimum wage Labour supports, with the firm also refusing to say if it recognised trade unions.

Sarwar is also facing fresh pressure about sending his children to the fee-paying Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow, something he says people should "respect".

"The honest answer is that that was a decision that was made by my wife and I as a couple about what we thought was the right thing for our own kids," he responds when asked if he understands why its a controversial choice for an aspiring Labour leader.

"It wasn't a decision that was made as a political calculation, or using my children as a political pawn, and I would ask that people respect the decision that was made by myself and my wife," Sarwar answers.

However he insisted he was still "passionate about ending educational inequality" caused by what he claimed was a widening attainment gap in schools during the SNP's decade in power.

When asked if private education contributes to that inequality Sarwar, repeats: "I told people the reason why my wife and I made that decision and I think that people should respect the decision we've made as a couple. But the point I'm making about the education system is that, sadly, there are too many teachers in schools not getting the support they need."

Despite being pressed about whether he is critical of the private schools system Sarwar sticks to the script, answering: "Again I would say that was a decision made by us as a couple, not as a political calculation."

However, Sarwar says he backs Scottish Labour's policy to scrap charitable status for private schools.

It's roughly at this point that Sarwar calls over to a staff member at the cafe, "can I get some brown sugar please?"

The male member of staff responds "of course" and scuttles over with the sugar despite the cafe being largely self service.

Sarwar retains the folksy manner that's arguably his greatest attribute when challenged about the non-payment of the living wage to staff and the row over trade union recognition at UWS.

"I'm a minority shareholder, I'm not a director of the company," he says while ruling out divesting himself of his stake in the company.

He adds: "I make no apologies for being my father's son," he adds of his father, the former Labour MP Mohammad Sarwar, who set up the business. "I support a real living wage."

When pressed again about whether ending his interest in UWS would take the sting out of the row, he half answers, saying: "It's something that I haven't," before adding, "as I say, in the company I'm not a director, I'm a minority shareholder." His brother Asim runs the multi-million pound company.

Sarwar says he has been the victim of "smears" and "deliberate misconceptions," about UWS employment practices, clearly referring to Sunday Herald journalist Paul Hutcheon.

He says that when he raised the issue with the firm he was told management had never been asked about union recognition. "If they (employees) approached they'd be welcome," Sarwar promises.

Adding: "I think there have been some deliberate misconceptions put out about this issue and I think you'll find that some has come from your own newspaper."

Continuing, "The company has lots of employees who are members of trade unions," he insists. "My family is extremely resilient" and has "faced up to racism, faced up to fascism," he adds when asked about the impact the rows have had on his relatives.

Sarwar also denies his standing as an advocate of progressive causes has been damaged by the controversies.

"I've deliberately chosen a different path [than the family firm]. I choose to dedicate myself to public service and become an NHS dentist," he says of his professional background.

It's at this point that Sarwar again calls over to another cafe staff member, "Can I get a tea spoon please?"

This time a young female worker answers that the cutlery is nearby for customers to help themselves to.

A campaign aide, who is present, gets the message and fetches the spoon for his boss.

It's an incident that could be seen as telling about a politician who, while an effective performer, faces the fight of his life to lead the 'people's party' in Scotland.