Vote for Scottish Labour not an endorsement of Starmer, says Sarwar

A vote for Scottish Labour is not an endorsement of the Prime Minister, party leader Anas Sarwar has said.

Mr Sarwar’s comments come as Sir Keir Starmer is set to face MPs over the ongoing scandal surrounding the vetting of former US ambassador Peter Mandelson.

The Scottish Labour leader in February called for Sir Keir to quit and, speaking to the STUC Congress in Dundee on Monday, said there had been “too many mistakes” made by the UK Government.

“I know that people have frustrations and disappointments, and I share them,” he told delegates.

“There are many good things, but also too many mistakes.

“So, let me be clear, a vote for Scottish Labour in this election is not an endorsement of Keir Starmer.

“It’s about who is first minister.

“It’s not about two years of a Labour Government, but 20 years of an SNP Government.

“It’s not about a protest – it’s about delivering the change that working people in Scotland need right now, because for too long Scotland has focused on what we can’t do, instead of focusing on what is possible.”

A Scottish Labour government, he said, would “use all the levers at our disposal to unlock our country’s huge economic potential”.

He added that he would be a first minister “who works to find solutions, not to drive our communities apart”.

“Every day of this election campaign, John Swinney has talked about a Government somewhere else, not the issues that are affecting people in the here and now,” he said.

“He’s been desperately trying to deflect from the SNP’s appalling record in Government that he’s been at the hear of for two decades.”

Reform UK, he said, have been spouting “poison” throughout the campaign.

“Their strategy is to divide us, to make unrealistic tax pledges and to say they will scrap all the new protections for workers that people in Scotland help deliver,” the Scottish Labour leader said.

“So, let me be clear about Nigel Farage’s Reform and Lord Malcolm Offord – Nigel Farage doesn’t understand Scotland, he doesn’t care about Scotland and he couldn’t give a damn about Scotland.”