SIR Keir Starmer has backed Scottish Labour’s unconditional rejection of a second independence referendum.
The Labour leader said “breaking up” the UK just as the country faced up to mass unemployment is the “wrong thing to do”.
Starmer also offered his support to Scottish party leader Richard Leonard, despite the party being left with just one MP after the General Election in December.
His comments came moments after he sacked MP Rebecca Long-Bailey for sharing an article which contained an “antisemitic conspiracy theory”.
Labour opposed indyref2 at last year’s General Election, but they said they would not block a referendum if Scots wanted one.
The caveat came after John McDonnell, the then shadow chancellor, used an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival to say a Labour government would not stand in the way of another vote.
READ MORE: Mhairi Black slams Keir Starmer over stance on Scottish independence
McDonnell’s intervention angered some Scottish Labour activists who believed he had imposed the policy without consultation.
The Scottish party this month clarified its position saying they opposed indyref2 unconditionally. But the decision came after some senior figures in the party including MSPs Monica Lennon and Neil Findlay said the party should not oppose a second independence vote following the disastrous December election result.
After the position was then clarified to reject a second independence referendum, Leonard said the next Holyrood election should be about “rebuilding” Scotland’s economy, public services and communities after Covid-19, adding: “That work must be the focus of the next Scottish government and so we will be going into that election in 2021 with a Scottish Labour Party position that is opposed to a second referendum.”
During a zoom briefing, Starmer, who made a promise during the leadership campaign to work closely with Scottish Labour, backed the new position: “There is nothing between me and Scottish Labour on this. One of the things I am determined to do as leader of the Labour Party is to ensure that the Labour Party across the United Kingdom and in Scotland are all speaking in the same way, on the same issues.
“The argument we have to make is about radical federalism, about putting power closer to people, and I don’t just mean in the Scottish Parliament, I mean beyond that, into local councils, into local communities.”
READ MORE: Keir Starmer sacks Rebecca Long-Bailey in row over 'antisemitic conspiracy theory'
He added: “I don’t believe breaking up the United Kingdom is the right thing to do, particularly when we are on the verge of an economic crisis, the like of which we haven’t seen for a generation.”
Asked about a recent poll which showed 43% support for independence among Labour voters, he said: “It’s for us to make the argument for a radical alternative, and that means not defending the status quo.
“Breaking up the United Kingdom when we are about to face an economic crisis, with probably mass unemployment, is the wrong thing to do.”
Asked whether Leonard is the right man to lead Scottish Labour into the next Holyrood election, he said: “I have full confidence in Richard. I am working very closely with Richard. Both he and I know that we’ve got a real job of work to do in Scotland.”
However, some left-wing activists believe Scottish Labour’s strengthened opposition to indyref2 will hamper their ability to attract SNP voters.
Tommy Kane, a former adviser to Jeremy Corbyn, wrote recently: “The Labour membership should decide the party’s position on this. I would hope that in any such discussion a hardline anti-democratic line would be rejected. Another referendum is for the people of Scotland to decide.”
The briefing took place after Starmer fired Long-Bailey as shadow education secretary over an article she reposted online which he believe contained antisemitic conspiracy theories Asked if he believed Long Bailey is antisemitic, he said: “I have asked her to step down because she shared that article. I have made it my number one priority to rebuild trust with the Jewish communities. In the interests of rebuilding that trust, I have stood her down from the Shadow Cabinet.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel