Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is facing pressure to instruct his Westminster MPs to vote in favour of a parliamentary inquiry into Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The Commons will vote on Tuesday on whether to refer Starmer to the Privileges Committee over claims he misled MPs regarding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has written to Sarwar, calling on him to order Scottish Labour MPs to back the inquiry. Flynn described the vote as “an opportunity to end Keir Starmer’s short and sorry time as Prime Minister” and a test of Sarwar’s earlier call for Starmer to resign. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also urged Labour MPs to support the referral, accusing Starmer of repeatedly misleading the House.
Flynn argued that if the Privileges Committee finds Starmer misled Parliament, it would “inevitably result in the Prime Minister’s immediate resignation.” He cited a contradiction between Starmer and former Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins, who said “pressure was applied repeatedly” over Mandelson’s appointment. Flynn challenged Sarwar, stating, “If you don’t even have the strength to order your MPs to vote on the future of Keir Starmer, people won’t trust another word from you or Scottish Labour.”
Scottish Labour MP Gregor Poynton dismissed the SNP’s focus on Westminster, saying Scotland is voting on May 7 to decide the future of the NHS, schools, and local communities. He accused the SNP of being silent on its own scandals, including covering up allegations against Jordan Linden and attempting to make benefit fraudster Sally Donald an MSP.
