ANAS Sarwar is being urged by his party’s former general secretary to back another Scottish independence referendum.

Michael Sharpe, who left the role in December, warned that the current hierarchy’s hardline stance on indyref2 is scuppering their chances of a revival.

In a column for the Daily Record, the left-winger called on Sarwar’s party to diverge from Keir Starmer’s UK Labour.

“With the constitution still the prism through which Scottish politics is viewed, Scottish Labour’s dismissive stance on self-determination cut the party off at the knees from voters long-since switched to the SNP,” he wrote.

Sharpe, who said Scottish Labour “still doesn’t get devolution”, urged the party to support a second referendum and campaign for a devo-max option on the ballot paper.

The National: Michael Sharpe says Scottish Labour should support a second independence referendum Michael Sharpe says Scottish Labour should support a second independence referendum

He continued: “Change must start by standing up to the UK Party and unquestionably affirming that sovereignty lies with the Scottish people.

“That means fully embracing support for a third option on any indyref2 ballot – one that would give Scotland far more control over its own affairs economically, socially and internationally whilst retaining UK redistribution and cooperation in vital areas.”

READ MORE: Scottish Labour needs more powers, ex-Scotland Office minister says

Separating Scottish Labour from the UK party is also crucial to the party’s future success, Sharpe argued.

He wrote: “As recent polling suggests, Anas Sarwar must distance Scottish Labour from the Keir Starmer leadership – a leadership which has been increasingly directed by the likes of Peter Mandelson – and let Scottish Labour’s voice be heard.”

The SNP told the Record that a former Scottish Labour general secretary coming out in favour of indyref2 is a “significant intervention”.

The National: UK Labour leader Keir Starmer with Scottish Labour leader Anas SarwarUK Labour leader Keir Starmer with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

“But no amount of devo max would protect Scotland from Brexit, or the Tory power grab on Holyrood – only independence can do that,” a spokesperson added.

“And there is no mandate for a more powers option on the ballot paper – Labour have just 22 seats out of 129, while the LibDems have only four. There is a rock solid pro-independence, pro-referendum majority, and the SNP won the election with a higher share of the constituency vote than any party in the history of devolution.”

A Scottish Labour spokesperson commented: “We’re in the third wave of this virus, at this crucial moment in our pandemic response the Scottish Government has most control – so Scottish Labour’s relentless focus continues to be coming through Covid and our national recovery.”