SCOTTISH Labour MPs have been labelled "lapdogs" after fresh analysis revealed that they use Prime Minister’s Questions to ask more about devolved areas and the SNP than UK Government-related issues.
Analysis conducted by the Sunday National of every PMQs session during Keir Starmer’s time in No 10 revealed that Scottish Labour MPs had asked a total of 73 questions – but just 28 actually related to UK Government policy or action. On the other hand, 31 related to devolved issues or the SNP.
A further seven were categorised as “soft” questions that did not ask about anything. In February, for example, West Dunbartonshire MP Douglas McAllister raised the end of the two-child benefit cap before asking: “Does the Prime Minister agree that this demonstrates true Labour values in action across Scotland and the UK?”
Seven more questions related to neither devolved issues nor the UK Government, asking instead about congratulating charity drives or celebrating Glasgow’s 850th anniversary.
Questions asked at PMQs by Scottish Labour MPs included:
- “What assurances can the Prime Minister give me that any Barnett Consequentials from today’s Budget will be used to benefit my constituents and not be held on to by the Scottish Government?” – Katrina Murray, October 2024.
- “Does the Prime Minister agree that the SNP-led Government should stop blaming everyone else for their failures?” – Imogen Walker, April 2025.
- “Does [the Prime Minister] agree that it is a contempt for jobs and growth and an 18-year-long contempt for Scotland?” – Zubir Ahmed, September 2025. Ahmed also claimed there had been “radio silence” from the SNP on a contract to build frigates on the Clyde. Starmer was later forced to apologise for his answer as the SNP had in fact welcomed the deal .
- “Does the Prime Minister agree that it is only the SNP’s lack of ambition and failure of leadership that is letting Paisley down?” – Johanna Baxter, February 2026.
- And in July 2026, McAllister failed to even ask a question, being cut off by the Speaker as he listed Labour Government policies at length .
Pete Wishart, the SNP’s depute leader at Westminster and longest-serving MP, accused Scottish Labour MPs of “wasting precious opportunities” to ask the Prime Minister important questions.
"Every time we find that a Scottish Labour MP is down to ask a question, we turn up and shout ‘Scottish Government’ at them and they never let us down,” he told the Sunday National.
“Their one and only job appears to be raising issues about another Government in another parliament, and the ministers standing in front of them are let off the hook and remain unaccountable for their actions in Scotland. It is now getting to the point that they pursue this to the point of embarrassing obsession.”
Wishart went on: “I don’t think they get just how angry this makes their own constituents. These Labour MPs were elected to represent people in the House of Commons, not in the Scottish Parliament, and wasting precious opportunities to raise real Westminster issues goes down very badly in their constituencies.
“They are probably right in assuming that their MSP colleagues are not up to the task of holding Scottish Government ministers to account, but this is not the job of Scottish Labour MPs.
“The Westminster Government is responsible for large swathes of legislation that directly impacts on the Scottish people and so many Scottish constituencies are now being disenfranchised from the important task of holding ministers to account.”
SNP MSP David Linden branded the MPs “Labour Party lapdogs in Scotland”, adding: “It sums up this hapless bunch that they have spent more time obsessing over the SNP than addressing the issues which matter most to people in Scotland.”
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "A bit of self-reflection on the part of Pete Wishart and his SNP colleagues is required, with SNP MSPs asking softball questions relating to matters outwith devolved areas at FMQs every week.
"The truth is that Pete Wishart and his SNP colleagues simply have no interest in holding the Scottish Government to account on crucial areas such as health, education, or transport, all of which are the responsibility of their own government at Holyrood.
“Scottish Labour MPs will continue to stand up for their constituents and raise a range of important issues.”
Complaints about the quality of questions from the Government benches during PMQs are longstanding.
During his time as Commons speaker, John Bercow said that “attacks, soundbites and planted questions” at the weekly session had damaged the reputation of the UK Parliament.
At Holyrood, the new Presiding Officer Kenny Gibson has split FMQs into two sessions.
On Thursdays, opposition parties are given the opportunity to ask questions, with none from any SNP members. On Tuesdays, backbench MSPs, including from the SNP, are given a chance to ask questions of the First Minister.
