ANAS Sarwar has been accused of being “ashamed” of Keir Starmer after he failed to mention the Prime Minister’s name during a keynote speech to trade unionists.
The Scottish Labour leader named six politicians – Liz Truss, Priti Patel, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and John Swinney – during his speech to the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) on Tuesday, but not Starmer.
Sarwar did point to policies the party had introduced in its first months in power, such as raising the minimum wage and a package of enhanced workers’ rights, but did not mention the Prime Minister.
Starmer’s popularity has dropped to a net rating of -29, according to an Ipso opinion tracker.
The omission has led Labour’s critics to claim Sarwar deliberately neglected to name Starmer (above) because he did not want to be “associated” with the Prime Minister.
David Torrance, an SNP MSP, told The National: “It speaks volumes that Anas Sarwar found time to name-drop six other politicians but could not bring himself to mention Keir Starmer, the man who actually leads his party.
“It is no surprise that he is embarrassed by Sir Keir, and is now attempting to rewrite the story for Labour in Scotland. But the people of Scotland will not forgive Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour for rubber stamping their Westminster bosses' austerity agenda in which Scotland is continually treated as an afterthought.”
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “I can understand why Anas Sarwar doesn’t want to be associated with a Prime Minister who is knowingly plunging countless thousands of disabled people into poverty.
“Keir Starmer’s government has shown Labour cannot be trusted to do what is right. Their punitive policies are piling even more harm on top of the impact of fourteen years under the Tories, with progress and human rights being reversed at an alarming rate.”
Kenny MacAskill (above), the leader of the Alba Party, added: “If I were Anas Sarwar, I'd be ashamed to mention Keir Starmer's name in Scotland too.
“He has betrayed pensioners, punished the disabled and demonised immigrants. And today we have it finally confirmed that he has abandoned the workers at Grangemouth.”
Starmer’s first months in power have seen benefits and international aid cut and the Winter Fuel Payment axed. Labour have also presided over a number of industrial closures, including Tuesday’s announcement that PetroIneos had stopped refining oil at Grangemouth.
The Prime Minister has also said that he no longer believed trans women were women after the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of “sex” and has attempted to charm US president Donald Trump.
Scottish Labour were approached for comment.
