by Ryan Quinn

At a press conference on Monday, Anas Sarwar, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, called for his now-former ally, Keir Starmer, to resign.

Sarwar took to the podium in Glasgow after criticism of the Prime Minister grew for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite his knowledge of Mandelson’s continued close friendship with the disgraced financier, Jeffery Epstein, after his conviction.

He said: “We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue here in Scotland, because the election in May is not without consequence for the lives of Scots.

“The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street needs to change.”

Reception to Sarwar’s statement has been mixed within the Scottish Labour Party. Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland said: “I think Keir Starmer should do the right thing; go and go quickly.

“Peter Mandelson should have been nowhere near government because his relationship with Jeffery Epstein was known about and the Prime Minister was advised of that.”

Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, disagreed with Sarwar. He said: “Scotland desperately needs Anas Sarwar as First Minister, but I disagree with his call for the Prime Minister to resign.

“The last thing we need right now is more chaos. What the public want is a government that is on their side and tackling the cost of living.”

Public opinion has also been mixed. Margaret Taylor, 76, from Falkirk, said: “I have been a Labour voter all my life and I really like Anas. What we have seen in London however has been nothing short of a shambles.

“I have supported some of the unpopular decisions they have made, like the means testing of the Winter Fuel Payments, but the change they promised is not coming fast enough and something about them [Downing Street] needs to change.”

Emma Johnstone, 36, from Airdrie, disagreed. She said: “We don’t need any more of this melodrama from Westminster or a carousel of new Prime Ministers when things get tricky.

“I voted for Labour, they have a big majority. They need to stop bickering and get on with the job that they have been tasked with.”

Members of the cabinet have rallied around the Prime Minister, potentially saving his career in the process. Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “Rebuilding Britain takes time. With Keir as our Prime Minister, we are turning the country around.” While Ed Miliband, former Labour leader and now Energy Secretary said: “This is not the time for the government to turn inwards on itself. We must focus on delivering the change we promised the country.”

Speaking at a community centre in Hertfordshire on Tuesday, the Prime Minister signalled his intent to fight on. He said: “I will never walk away from the country I love. I have a five-year mandate to deliver change. I intend to get on with what I was elected to do, which is to deliver that change.”

Despite this, Anas Sarwar has stood by his call. Yesterday, he said: “I stated my view, I stand by that view, I welcome that there has been general acceptance that things are not good enough.

“I am the one that has put myself before the public in three months’ time. People in Scotland deserve to know what my standards are, what I believe, what I am willing to tolerate and what I would do differently if elected as First Minister.”

Anas Sarwar calls for Sir Keir Starmer to resign