Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has not spoken to Sir Keir Starmer since the week he publicly said the prime minister should go – and stands by his position.
Mr Sarwar told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby he spoke to Sir Keir a “couple of times” in the week in February he said the prime minister should quit at a news conference.
“I’ve not spoken to him since that week,” he said, but added their teams are still in regular contact and he still talks to the cabinet.
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The Scot revealed Sir Keir was angry with him when he denounced him.
“Of course he was going to be taking it negatively, of course he was going to be angry,” he said.
“But I think in fairness to him and to other members of the cabinet that hasn’t meant the dialogue has stopped.
“We still have very positive conversations about what’s right for Scotland and how we can make sure a UK Labour government is delivering for Scotland.”
Sir Keir and Mr Sarwar outside a COVID vaccine centre in 2021. Pic: PA
‘I wasn’t part of a coup’
There were rumours Mr Sarwar had spoken to senior Labour figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former deputy leader Angela Rayner, before calling for Sir Keir to resign.
But the cabinet quickly rallied around the prime minister after Mr Sarwar’s intervention.
Mr Sarwar added: “To be honest, it didn’t surprise me because I’m not part of any coup. I wasn’t part of any plot.
“I wasn’t interested in what it meant for Westminster. I’m only interested in what it means for Scotland.”
And does he regret (very publicly) saying the PM should quit?
“I’ve stated my position, I stand by it, I don’t recount or recoil from that,” he said.
“I’ve been open about saying that this is an unpopular UK Labour government and we have an unpopular prime minister, that’s a statement of fact.
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Mr Sarwar said the pair were friends. Pic: PA
‘I know Starmer is a decent man’
Mr Sarwar said he was friends with Sir Keir and, while it was “politically hard” to call for his resignation, it was more difficult personally.
That was “because Keir Starmer is someone that I know, someone that I like, someone that I call a friend and someone who I have spent a lot of time with,” he said.
“I know he is a good, decent man that wants to do the best by this country. So that was a very, very difficult position for me.”
May is Labour’s crunch point
The Scottish Labour leader said the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, English mayoral and local elections on 7 May are “absolutely” the crunch point for his party.
And he agreed with Ms Rayner, who said the Labour Party is “running out of time”.
“I think she’ll have a similar frustration to me, that many people don’t know the good things the Labour government has done,” Mr Sarwar added.
“There have been far too many missteps. But again, let me emphasise, when Westminster politicians like Angela talk about time, they’re talking about the next three years. I’m interested in the next 50 days.”
