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Anas Sarwar has made a significant and daring move by becoming the first prominent Labour figure to publicly demand that the prime minister step down. This development stems from his growing frustration and anger, particularly over the prime minister’s handling of the controversy involving Lord Mandelson. Sarwar expressed strong disapproval, stating that Mandelson should never have been considered for the role of UK ambassador to Washington, a sharp critique that implicitly questions the prime minister’s judgment. Despite this, Sarwar initially left open the possibility that the prime minister might remain in office.
Over the weekend, Sarwar’s stance hardened considerably. He has now lost faith in the prime minister and no longer wishes to defend his leadership. His discontent is fueled not only by the appointment misstep involving Mandelson, who has known connections to Jeffrey Epstein, but also by a pattern of errors and policy reversals under Starmer’s leadership. Many within Scottish Labour view these ongoing difficulties as damaging to their campaign for the upcoming Holyrood election. Just a year and a half ago, Sarwar appeared to be a strong contender to become first minister and a credible challenger to the SNP’s John Swinney. However, current opinion polls and internal party canvassing suggest that Scottish Labour is now trailing the SNP by a significant margin.
Faced with this bleak outlook, Sarwar decided to take decisive action rather than remain silent, betting that openly questioning Starmer’s leadership might change the political climate. His move has revealed divisions within Scottish Labour: while MSPs such as Jackie Baillie and Monica Lennon have publicly supported him, MPs including Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander and his predecessor Ian Murray continue to back the prime minister. Should Starmer maintain his position, this discord could deepen during the Holyrood campaign, raising questions about Sarwar’s ability to work collaboratively with Starmer if he eventually becomes first minister. Rather than defusing tensions, Sarwar’s intervention might intensify attention on Westminster politics in the context of Scottish elections.
Looking ahead, it remains unclear whether Sarwar will be the only senior Labour figure to call for Starmer’s resignation. The pressure on the prime minister could increase, especially in light of an upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton; a poor Labour performance there might fuel demands for leadership change. If Starmer eventually steps down, some might acknowledge Sarwar’s early doubts as prescient. Meanwhile, the SNP would lose a key campaign slogan centered on removing Starmer, highlighting the challenges of keeping the Scottish election focused on local issues like health, education, and housing rather than UK-wide political drama. Regardless of the outcome, Sarwar’s actions demonstrate his willingness to assert independence, distancing himself from the image of a mere agent of Labour’s UK leadership—though this also comes with the risk of damaging the shared party brand under which both he and Starmer campaign
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