Sarwar ‘is his own man’ after his call for Starmer to quit, says Streeting

Anas Sarwar “is his own man”, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said after the Scottish Labour leader’s calls for the Prime Minister to quit.

Mr Sarwar is the most senior Labour figure to push for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down, a call he made in a hastily-arranged press conference in Glasgow last month.

But despite rumblings at the time of a move to oust the Prime Minister, Sir Keir was backed by his Cabinet ministers.

Speaking to the Daily Record during a visit to Edinburgh on Thursday, Mr Streeting said the intervention showed Mr Sarwar is not a “branch manager” – a frequent attack from the SNP.

“I think it’s very clear Anas Sarwar is his own man,” Mr Streeting said. “He says it as he sees it.

“I wouldn’t say it was comfortable listening for us down in Westminster, but I do understand that we are 20 months into this Labour Government at UK level, we have made mistakes, we are not basking in the warm glow of popularity.

“I think it is important when people cast their votes in May that they remember the election is about who governs Scotland.

“It’s Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour that’s on the ballot paper. I do think there is a real opportunity to have a Scottish Labour government and a UK Labour Government working well together.”

Scottish Labour’s prospects have dimmed since Sir Keir won the keys to Downing Street in 2024, with the party going from a contender to knock the SNP from power to now battling for second place in the polls with Reform UK.