KEIR Starmer has insisted that the election is a “binary choice” in Scotland – as he ruled out any negotiations on independence.
The Labour leader also said Scots should not vote for SNP MPs who were “basically protesting” in Westminster.
Speaking at a window factory in Whitburn, West Lothian, Starmer said: “The choice at this election is a binary choice when it comes to prime minister, between Rishi Sunak continuing with the same as we’ve had for the same 14 years – chaos, division and failure – or ushering in myself as prime minister leading a Labour government which is committed to rebuilding the country.”
He urged Scots to put Scottish Labour MPs into Westminster, saying they would sit “at the heart of government”.
There are scant few spaces for Scottish Labour MPs in a Cabinet chaired by Starmer, who is keen to portray his shadow cabinet as a government-in-waiting.
Keir Starmer says there’ll be no negotiations with the Scottish Government on independence - even if a majority of SNP MPs are elected on July 4th The @UKLabour leader joined @AnasSarwar on a tour of a window factory in West Lothian earlier pic.twitter.com/QXDdqA7dRN
— Alan Smith (@Political_AlanS) June 21, 2024
Just one major position is filled by a Scottish Labour MP – shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray (below).
Starmer blasted SNP MPs who he said were more interested in “shouting across the aisle” than effecting change.
He said: “The best way to get change in Scotland is to have a strong Labour government with Scottish Labour MPs sitting at the heart of government.
“Not SNP MPs sitting on the opposition benches, shouting across the aisle, basically protesting rather than putting into effect the change that I think Scotland yearns for.”
At the launch of the SNP’s manifesto earlier this week, John Swinney disputed this argument, pointing to the work of his MPs such as Marion Fellows in campaigning on the Post Office scandal and Stewart Hosie in exposing Russian money in the British economy.
Starmer also ruled out any negotiations with the SNP on independence, even if they win the majority of Scottish seats on July 4.
Swinney (below) has previously said such a result would give him a renewed mandate to request a second referendum from Westminster.
Asked if he would accept this, Starmer said: “No and what the SNP are saying is that they want to go to Westminster to send a message. That’s the height of their ambition, to sit on the opposition benches and shout across the aisle.”
Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said: “Sir Keir Starmer is two weeks away from stepping into Downing Street and it's telling that he's already adopted the same old Westminster arrogance when it comes to respecting Scottish democracy.
“The right to self-determination doesn’t end because Sir Keir Starmer says so – the people of Scotland have the democratic right to choose our own future. It's not asking a lot to expect anyone who calls themselves a democrat to respect that right too.”
He pointed to previous comments from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (above), who said it was “for Scottish people to decide what the future of our country is” when asked about independence earlier in the election campaign.
Flynn added: “Clearly Anas Sarwar's recent statement that 'it is for the Scottish people to decide' amounts to empty words, and it proves how little influence he really has over his London boss, and just how little Starmer thinks of Scottish voters.”
Alba Party candidate for Rutherglen Jim Eadie added: “The only thing a Labour government will change is the colour of the rosette of the prime minister that is imposing Westminster rule on Scotland.
“A Labour government will keep the bedroom tax, they’ll keep the two child benefit cap, they’ll keep Scotland out of the single market and they’ll keep spending hundreds of millions of pounds on a new generation of weapons of mass destruction based on the Clyde.”
Greens MSP Maggie Chapman said: "Keir Starmer talks about ‘change’, but his actions tell a very different story.
Far from setting out bold, ambitious reforms like the Scottish Greens manifesto did this week, he does little more than make excuses to explain why he’ll maintain Tory policy.
“The unfortunate truth is that Labour austerity would be just as destructive to people’s lives as Tory austerity has been.
Climate breakdown would pose the same existential threat in the face of Labour inaction as it does in the face of Tory inaction.
"And children would go to bed just as hungry under the Labour child benefit cap as they do under the Tory child benefit cap."
