Sarwar 'absolutely not' left out on a limb after Starmer quit call, insists deputy

The leader of Scottish Labour has "absolutely not" been left out on a limb following his call for Keir Starmer to quit, his deputy has insisted.

Jackie Baillie denied there were splits between party MPs and MSPs after Mr Sarwar urged the Prime Minister to resign on Monday.

Senior UK figures have since rallied around Sir Keir in a public display of support, although discontent remains behind the scenes.

The Scotsman

Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Ms Baillie said: "Anas Sarwar is putting Scotland's interests first. He is absolutely right to do so."

READ MORE: Sir Keir Starmer says 'whole of Labour Party' wants Anas Sarwar as First Minister

She said there had been "too many mistakes, too many distractions" and there needed to be a change at Number 10.

Asked if Mr Sarwar had been left out on a limb, without the backing of other senior figures, Ms Baillie said: "Absolutely not.”

She said the Holyrood election in May “is very much about getting rid of the failing SNP government”, adding: “Anas Sarwar has done the right thing. He has put Scotland's interests first."

Asked if there was a split between party MPs and MSPs in Holyrood, she said: "Not at all."

Very few Scottish Labour MPs have publicly backed Mr Sarwar’s call. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander insisted Sir Keir will still be in Downing Street at the end of this year.

Approached by journalists in Holyrood, MSPs voiced their support for Mr Sarwar - but some appeared reluctant to actively call for Sir Keir to quit. Michael Marra, the party’s finance spokesman, said: “I support Anas Sarwar and the position that he's taken."

Martin Whitfield, Labour’s chief whip at Holyrood, said Sir Keir “should seriously consider his position”.

Claire Baker, the Labour MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, said: "I support Anas. We have an important election in May and I think the Prime Minister needs to reflect on his position."

Some of the strongest support for Mr Sarwar came from former party leader Richard Leonard, who is not a natural ally of the current Scottish Labour leadership. On the left of the party, Mr Leonard was widely seen as having been forced out by Sir Keir.

"I agree that Keir Starmer should step down,” he told journalists. “For me, it's not just about the [Peter] Mandelson scandal. For me it's also about the removal of winter fuel payments from the pensioners, it's about failing to compensate the Waspi women, it's about threatening to take away independent support for people with disabilities.

"So for me, what we need is not just a change of leader, but a change of leadership and a change of direction."

Asked if Mr Sarwar had been left out on a limb, he said: "Well, sometimes you have to dare to be Daniel and act in what you think are the best interests of the party, so that's his judgement and that's the decision he's made.

“Sometimes it's not just about being part of a pack mentality, sometimes it's about striking out on your own. That, it seems to me, is what Anas Sarwar has done in the last 24 hours."