Sir Keir Starmer with Anas Sarwar after Scottish Labour’s win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West last year
By Mary McCool
BBC Scotland news
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says he and Sir Keir Starmer “ultimately have the same position” on ending the Israel-Gaza war.
Mr Sarwar has called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict, while the UK Labour leader says he wants a “sustainable” end to the fighting.
Mr Sarwar spoke to the BBC ahead of the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow.
It follows a double by-election win in England – despite a recent antisemitism row over parliamentary candidates.
Mr Sarwar is expected to reiterate his call for an immediate ceasefire when his party’s conference begins later.
In an interview with BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme, he was asked why Sir Keir had not used the same language.
“That’s the question we’re asking,” Mr Sarwar said. “I don’t think there’s as much distance in this as people now believe.
“Keir Starmer has said he wants the fighting to stop right now and for that to be a sustainable ceasefire. I think we ultimately have the same position.”
The SNP is seeking a fresh vote on a ceasefire, with Westminster leader Stephen Flynn accusing Sir Keir of “equivocating” over the crisis.
Asked how the two Scottish Labour MPs would vote on the matter, Mr Sarwar said: “We’re having very open conversations around the parliamentary processes. There is no separation in our view.”
Antisemitic remarks
It comes after Labour suspended two parliamentary candidates.
Gareth Jones, the former Labour MP for Hyndburn, is facing an investigation over comments he allegedly made about Israel.
The party withdrew support for their candidate for the Rochdale by-election, Azhar Ali, for apparently making antisemitic remarks.
Sir Keir has received criticism for failing to withdraw support from Mr Ali sooner.
Starmer: Results show ‘country crying out for change’
When he became Labour leader in 2020, he promised to tackle antisemitism saying he would “tear out this poison by its roots”.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir also said last week that he had no choice but to ditch Labour’s £28bn a year green investment pledge.
It represented a major scaling back of the party’s plans to invest in green industries if it wins power, following weeks of confusion about the policy.
The Labour leader said it was no longer affordable because the Tories had crashed the economy.
And he told the BBC Labour would still spend more than the Tories on green projects if it wins the election, and was committed to “clean power by 2030”.
Mr Sarwar told BBC Scotland the party’s green prosperity plan was “still there” and a centrepiece of their growth plans.
On an upcoming election, he added: “I think the election comes down to this choice. The SNP want to send MPs in Scotland to sit opposite a government and shout at it.
“I want to send a government where we send Scottish Labour MPs who will sit in government round the table and help make decisions.”
A ceasefire in Gaza. The two-child benefit cap. Bankers’ bonuses. Appearing on picket lines. These are all areas where Anas Sarwar has taken a different approach to Sir Keir Starmer. Despite this, the two still have a close relationship.
They’re politically similar, and you can tell they’re happy to work with one another. Disagreements seem to be handled in a very agreeable manner.
But with a general election looming, these divergences raise a big question for Anas Sarwar. Who’s in charge of Scottish Labour MPs?
If Labour send a decent number of representatives to Westminster after the next election, do they vote how Anas Sarwar tells them? Or is Sir Keir in charge?
On the majority of issues it probably wouldn’t matter – the Scottish and UK leaders agree on far more than they disagree.
But when opinions vary? That’s when things get awkward. They’ll be expected to vote the way Labour whips (at Westminster) tell them to. That’s been the case with the two Scottish Labour MPs currently in the Commons.
Which could leave Mr Sarwar looking slightly impotent. A leader in name only.
Right now, Anas Sarwar will be focused on getting as many Labour MPs elected in Scotland as possible. But questions about how they’ll vote will dog this campaign.
