Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to reset the relationship between the UK and Scottish governments

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to reset the relationship between the UK and Scottish governments.

In his first visit as Prime Minister, Sir Keir visited Edinburgh on Sunday where he thanked Scots for putting their “trust and faith” in the Labour Party.

During his visit he also met First Minister John Swinney, although was unable to take the usual photograph on the steps of Bute House due to a pro-Palestinian protest outside. 

Overlooking the iconic Edinburgh Castle and flanked by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, the new Prime Minister received a huge applause and a standing ovation from party activists, MPs and MSPs.

Also receiving a huge cheer was the new Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, who in 2019 was the only Scottish Labour MP to be elected - he was re-elected to Edinburgh South with a majority of 17,251.

Sir Keir said: “We got a very clear mandate for change across Scotland to improve people’s lives, and we will always be putting the country first.

“Humbly, I say thank you to every single person in Scotland who has put their trust and faith in the Labour Party.

“We’ll carry that with us as we make the change.

“Many people will have voted Labour for the first time ever, and we recognise that - but we will serve the entirety of Scotland, because that change matters to everyone.”

Scottish voters saw Labour enjoy its biggest vote share in the whole of the UK, wiping out the SNP across the central belt and reducing their number in the House of Commons to just nine.

During his short speech, Sir Keir also vowed to reset the relationship between Westminster and Holyrood.

Intergovernmental relations have been strained over the past few years, with the SNP-led Scottish Government and the former Conservative government consistently at loggerheads with each other.

This came to a head last year when former Scottish Secretary Alister Jack issued a section 35 order to block the SNP’s gender reforms.

The reforms, which were passed by a majority of MSPs in Holyrood in December 2022, aimed to make it easier for trans people to legally change their gender.

Former first minister Humza Yousaf tried to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, saying it undermined devolution - he ultimately lost this legal challenge.

However the Prime Minister is hoping that will be a thing of the past, saying he takes his “mandate to deliver for Scotland really seriously”.

He added: “What you shouldn’t do is have individuals in Westminster and Whitehall making decisions affecting communities when they’ve got their own representatives.”

It is expected Sir Keir and Mr Sarwar will appear side by side far more often in future, with the new Prime Minister vowing to spend more time in Scotland than his predecessors.

The pair told journalists they “consult each other all the time” - even wearing almost matching suits to the Edinburgh visit.

When asked by The Scotsman how much autonomy he will be giving to Mr Sarwar, Sir Keir said: “We wouldn’t have returned 37 Scottish Labour MPs if it hadn’t been for his ambitious leadership.

“I don’t think there are many political leaders that could have done what Anas has done in the last three or so years, going from an incredibly low base in 2019 to landing 37 MPs at the general election.

“Happily for us and for Scotland, it’s a shared initiative - we’ve worked together on this and this change happened because we worked together.

“We respect each other and we consult each other all the time.

“That is good for Labour, and it is good for Scotland - it’s a team effort.”

Mr Sarwar introduced Sir Keir to the crowd in Edinburgh, where he said Scotland will now be at the heart of a Labour government.

He said: “After 14 years we finally have a government that cares about Scotland, understands Scotland, and wants to deliver for Scotland.

“We are serious about restoring devolution - that hard work for change starts today.”

During both Mr Sarwar and Sir Keir’s speeches, they both made it clear that this election success is only step one of two - the next challenge is winning the Scottish election in 2026 and making Mr Sarwar First Minister.

Sir Keir said: “The whole of the Labour Party will be delivering for Scotland. 

“There was nothing inevitable about this election - we won because we changed the way we were and because Anas and [deputy Scottish leader] Jackie Baillie changed Scottish Labour.

“We will govern as changed Labour with the same mindset.

“This is part one - part two comes in 2026, and imagine what more we could do.”

Sir Keir then travelled less than a mile to Bute House, the First Minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, to meet John Swinney.

The pair did not have the traditional photograph shaking hands on the steps of Bute House however, as there was a vocal pro-Palestinian protest taking place outside.

A photograph of the pair sitting down inside was released instead.

Afterwards the Prime Minister said he reiterated his commitment to delivering for Scotland and to “reset the relationship” between the two leaders as well. 

The pair discussed energy, the economy and the future of the Grangemouth oil refinery.

Mr Murray and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes joined the pair’s talks in Bute House. 

Speaking afterwards, Mr Swinney said: “I was pleased to welcome Sir Keir to Bute House so soon after his appointment as UK Prime Minister.

“We continued our conversation about areas of shared interest.

“I believe there is an opportunity for collaborative working that can make a difference to people’s lives and I hope to work with Sir Keir’s new government to deliver progress for the benefit of people in Scotland.

“Following our talks, I am confident we have established the foundation for a productive relationship between our two governments based on renewed respect for the devolution settlement.

“On a personal note, having been First Minister for two months and a minister for many years, I am very aware of the demands of office.

“I again offered Sir Keir and his family my congratulations on his appointment and my best wishes for what will be a demanding start to his term in office.”

Speaking to the media after the visit, Mr Swinney said the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster over the last five years has been “toxic”, and said he “welcomes” Sir Keir coming to Scotland so early on as Prime Minister.

He said the UK Government has been “a really difficult government to engage with”, and hopes the relationship can be reset as promised.

Mr Swinney also conceded the pair have “different views on the constitution”, when asked about discussions between the pair on independence.