KEIR Starmer has admitted that he was wrong in his attacks on John Swinney during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
The Labour leader twice claimed that his SNP counterpart had failed to comment on a £10 billion deal to build warships for Norway on the Clyde.
In response to a question from Scottish Labour MP Zubir Ahmed – during which he falsely stated there had been “radio silence” from the SNP on the deal – Starmer said: “I’m perplexed that the First Minister has not welcomed it.”
Elsewhere, responding to SNP MP Pete Wishart, the Prime Minister claimed Swinney had said “absolutely nothing” about the Norwegian deal.
However, the First Minister had in fact welcomed it less than 24 hours after it was announced.
“This is a welcome investment that’s been made by the Norwegian government,” Swinney said in an interview with radio on Monday. “It demonstrates the strength and the capability of the BAE yard in Govan and the strength of the skills within Scotland.”
During a visit to Glasgow on Thursday to mark the deal – during which he refused to speak to Scotland’s press pack – Starmer admitted that he had been wrong.
“I absolutely acknowledge that [I got it wrong],” he said.
“But I would like to gently lob it back into [Swinney’s] court for him to be a bit more full-throated about this. He’s very wary of defence contracts.
"These are good, well-paid jobs in Scotland. So my challenge back to him is: come on, bit more full-throated on this. Let’s work together on these jobs.”
Earlier in the day, the SNP leader had called for the Prime Minister to apologise in Parliament. Normally, MPs are expected to correct the record if they learn they have delivered a false statement.
“Now, journalists were with me when I welcomed these orders. There’s a really basic point here – politicians should be accurate in what they say, and the Prime Minister is completely inaccurate in what he said in attacking me in the House of Commons yesterday.
"If he wants a respectful relationship with the Scottish Government, he should go to the House of Commons and apologise.”
Ahmed, who also made a false claim about the SNP in Parliament, has failed to respond to The National’s questions on whether he will correct the record.
Elsewhere during his visit to Glasgow, the Prime Minister suggested that further shipbuilding deals could come to Scotland.
“Every country across Europe has increased their defence spending and they’re looking for countries to collaborate with on the defence building that they need to do,” he said.
“So Norway is first up. We’re talking to the Danish, we’re talking to Sweden, we’re talking to Turkey and other countries.
“So I hope this is only the first in what will be a series of contracts.
“That is down to you. It’s down to Scotland and Glasgow and what you and those before you’ve been doing for generations. I’m really pleased with this.”
