ALEX Salmond has launched a furious attack on Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, accusing him of acting “like a wee boy”.
It comes after the Labour MSP tried to deflect from criticism of Keir Starmer’s praise for former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher by pointing to historic comments from Salmond.
Starmer, in an article for the Telegraph on Sunday, said Thatcher brought “meaningful change” to the UK by seeking to “drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism”.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sarwar attacked Thatcher but defended his party leader.
READ MORE: Watch as people of Glasgow react to Keir Starmer praising Margaret Thatcher
He said: “I would remind opposition parties that it was Alex Salmond who said Scotland didn't have a problem with Thatcher's economic policies.
"Where were Humza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn then? Staying quiet."
In 2008 – before either Yousaf or Flynn entered elected politics – Salmond had said: "The SNP has a strong social conscience, which is very Scottish in itself. One of the reasons Scotland didn't take to Lady Thatcher was because of that.
“We didn't mind the economic side so much, but we didn't like the social side at all."
In a statement issued in response to Sarwar’s comments, Alba said the Labour MSP had been “misquoting” Salmond.
READ MORE: Alex Cole-Hamilton jeered after joining Holyrood debate 'from outside bar'
The former first minister and Alba leader said: “Anas sounds like a wee boy trying to pin the blame on someone else for Starmer’s blunder.
“What I actually said way back in 2008 is that Scots couldn’t stomach the social policies of Thatcherism more than the economic ones. I know this because I was fighting the poll tax when Anas was in short trousers.
“To equate that interview with this week’s Starmer calculated Telegraph love-in with Thatcherite policies is both desperate and ridiculous.
“If Anas aspires to ever run more than the branch office and achieve anything at all in politics then he will have to learn to grow up. Right now I don’t think he is going to make it.”
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