Anas Sarwar tells of pain as he calls for ‘friend’ Keir Starmer to quit as PM

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has told how it caused him “personal hurt and pain” to call for his “friend” Sir Keir Starmer to step aside as Prime Minister.

Just a few days ago, Mr Sarwar had backed the underfire PM to still be in post when May’s Scottish Parliament election takes place.

But, at a press conference in Glasgow on Monday, Mr Sarwar declared there have been “too many mistakes” in Downing Street and called for Sir Keir’s resignation.

It came as the UK Labour leader comes under mounting pressure over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking to the Press Association at his official residence at Bute House, First Minister John Swinney said: “For years, he has been a cheerleader for Keir Starmer and he’s described himself as an old friend of Peter Mandelson, without a moment’s thought for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.

“And now he suddenly wants us to believe that Keir Starmer should move on, having defended all of the terrible decisions that Keir Starmer has made.”

He added: “What today tells us is that Anas Sarwar is an opportunist, and that he’s prepared to use every opportunity for his own self-preservation.”

Mr Sarwar’s intervention has “strengthened the Prime Minister”, Mr Swinney said, while demonstrating the Scottish Labour leader “has absolutely no influence” in the UK-wide Labour Party.

Scottish Labour MP, and UK Government minister Ian Murray insisted that Mr Sarwar was “wrong” to call for the PM to step down.

Posting on social media, Mr Murray said: “The last thing we need is more chaos when the public want a govt on their side tackling the cost of living.

“We inherited a badly failing economy & public services. That takes time to turn around & Keir deserves that time.

“I’m sorry & deeply disappointed that Anas is wrong here.”

His comments came after Mr Sarwar had insisted the row over the appointment of Lord Mandelson was becoming a “distraction” ahead of May’s Holyrood election – where polls suggest Labour could come in third behind both the SNP and Reform.

Speaking on Monday, the Scottish Labour leader said: “The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”

Mr Sarwar spoke to the PM before giving Monday’s press conference – saying only that they had “disagreed” about his remarks.

The Scottish Labour leader told journalists: “There is probably no one in Scottish politics that’s had a better relationship with Keir Starmer or a closer friendship with Keir Starmer than I have.

“He is someone that I have campaigned alongside, worked alongside for the last five years in my role as leader, someone that I campaigned ferociously for to make sure we could get rid of a Tory government, and someone who I have supported in the last 18 months.

“So does this cause me personal hurt and pain? Of course, it does.”

While he said the Prime Minister was “someone that I regard as a friend” he insisted his “first loyalty has to be to my country, Scotland”.

Looking ahead to May’s Scottish election, Mr Sarwar added: “We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue here in Scotland, because the election in May is not without consequence for the lives of Scots.”

“In three months, we have an election that must be about one thing and one thing only, Scotland. That is my duty, that is my priority, that is my loyalty, and that is Scotland’s choice.”

Adding that the “situation in Downing Street is not good enough”, the Scottish Labour leader stated: “They promised they were going to be different, but too much has happened.

“Have there been good things? Of course, there have been many of them, but no one knows them and no one can hear them because they’re being drowned out. That’s why it cannot continue.”

He made clear he was not endorsing anyone as a possible successor to Sir Keir, saying it was for the UK Labour Party to decide any process, any timeline and what comes next”.

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said afterwards: “Anas Sarwar would sell his own granny.

“His latest U-turn reeks of desperation, hypocrisy and opportunism – and raises serious questions about his own role in the Peter Mandelson scandal and the appalling personal judgment he continues to show to this day.”

She continued: “Mr Sarwar can’t get off the hook. He bragged about Mandelson being an old friend despite knowing his close links to Jeffrey Epstein, the world’s most notorious, convicted paedophile, were a matter of public record.

“If Starmer must go – why shouldn’t Sarwar?”

Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “It’s a devastating day for Labour when even Anas Sarwar agrees that the Prime Minister cannot be trusted.”

Speaking about the Scottish Labour leader, Ms Mackay said: “How can he ask people to support a Labour party that is led by a man who even he thinks is unfit for office?”

The Scottish Green MSP insisted: “There is no two ways about it, Keir Starmer has to go.

“Despite warnings, he appointed a senior ambassador who was linked to one of the world’s most prolific abusers of women and girls. You can’t do that and stay as Prime Minister.

“This is a basic moral test for every Labour MP. Will they join the call for Starmer to resign or will they continue to look the other way?”