Labour figures have slammed Keir Starmer after he admitted he forced former Scottish party leader Richard Leonard to resign.
The UK Labour leader said that since he became leader he had taken “some pretty ruthless decisions . . . The Scottish leader was gone two years ago”.
Starmer also said that the party "would be at base camp rather than in a position to take advantage" of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as first minister if he had not made Leonard resign.
Former Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay said that Starmer's actions "are neither democratic nor socialist."
He accused Starmer of sacking Leonard "at the behest of corporate donors and unelected members of the House of Lords... Yet he has welcomed back the treacherous crew who set up Change UK who actually stood against Labour candidates at the last election."
Leonard had been leader of Scottish Labour for more than three years when he surprisingly resigned in January 2021.
He resigned just four months before the Scottish Parliament election after Starmer told him that he did not have confidence in his leadership.
It also came just months after he saw off an attempted coup.
Findlay, who ran against Jim Murphy in the 2014 Scottish Labour leadership election, said: “It says on our Labour party membership cards that we’re a democratic socialist party. But the actions we see from Starmer are neither democratic or socialist.
"He has admitted that he sacked the Scottish leader Richard Leonard, who was elected by members of Scotland, at the behest of corporate donors and unelected members of the House of Lords.
"He has repeatedly blocked candidates from the left who have been loyal to the Labour party for decades.
"Yet he has welcomed back the treacherous crew who set up Change UK who actually stood against Labour candidates at the last election.
"There are many voters who will find his actions totally perplexing. He’s making a major and fundamental mistake by continuing a war against a very significant section of his own party."
Yorkshire-born Leonard is a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and is on the left of the party.
He was criticised after the party performed poorly in the 2019 European election and the 2019 general election, where the party lost six of its seven seats.
Leonard faced calls to resign from Labour lord George Foulkes in 2020 after critic Jackie Baillie was elected as the party's deputy leader.
Some donors also refused to give the party money while Leonard was in charge.
Baroness Pauline Bryan of Partick accused Starmer of hindering Scottish Labour's chances.
She said: "Keir Starmer has demonstrated time and again that he doesn’t understand Scottish politics.
"Does he think that claiming that he sacked an elected leader of the Scottish Party will help Scottish Labour win back support from those who have moved towards independence? Rebuilding Labour in Scotland has to happen in Scotland."
Left-wing Scottish Labour group Campaign for Socialism tweeted: "Keir Starmer thinks of Scotland as a branch office, not worthy of making our own decisions.
"This article proves that. His arrogance should infuriate each and every Scottish Labour member."
But one Scottish Labour source said: “Anas Sarwar has taken over and transformed the party into a united, credible alternative to the SNP.
“The only party fighting amongst themselves is the SNP with an out of depth First Minister.”
The SNP said this demonstrates how Scottish Labour is a "branch office" under Starmer.
The party's Depute Westminster leader Mhairi Black said: “Keir Starmer has admitted what we've all known for a very long time - that Scottish Labour is nothing more than a branch office under Westminster control. When Keir Starmer says jump, Anas Sarwar asks how high.
“By boasting about sacking Richard Leonard, Starmer has once again revealed the contempt he holds for Scottish democracy and has shown that Anas Sarwar will continue to play to Westminster's tune no matter the disastrous consequences for Scotland.
"Sarwar has already been forced to ditch his principles and back the pro-Brexit Labour Party's opposition to Scotland rejoining the EU. That's despite more people than ever before in Scotland rejecting Brexit.
"And he's failed to voice opposition to Keir Starmer's Tory spending cuts, which would see damaging real-terms cuts to public services, public sector pay and social security.
“We cannot trust the pro-Brexit Labour party to stand up for the people of Scotland anymore than we can trust the Tories. Westminster control is holding Scotland back and the only way we can flourish is by becoming an independent country.”
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