A TOP Scottish union boss has given a scathing indictment of Keir Starmer's Labour Government.
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Christina McAnea, general secretary of the Labour-affiliated Unison trade union, said "it's time for a reset in Labour", adding she "couldn't honestly guarantee" who would be Labour leader following the Holyrood, Senedd, and English local elections next May.
McAnea, who is from Glasgow, said Labour had scored "many own goals" in the 15 months since the General Election, and that it was "the Labour Government's fault" that it had not successfully communicated "the good things" it has achieved to the public.
"I think that the past 15 months have been awful, there's been lots of own goals," McAnea said.
"What I'd like them to do, certainly in the run up to the Budget, is to look at changing their fiscal policy."
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Kuenssberg then said: "You sound that you're quite cross about what's been going on."
McAnea responded: "I think it's shocking what's been happening, shocking, to be quite honest.
"I think people feel that they elected the Labour Government 15 months ago, they expected it to change the way they feel about themselves. They expected to have more money in their pockets, and the sad thing about it is Labour have been doing some good things, but it's been masked, it's not being talked about."
Kuenssberg asked: "And whose fault is it?"
McAnea replied: "Well, it has to be the Labour Government's fault, isn't it? It's also, I think the fact that they've inherited a mess, I think that is true."
Fellow panel guest, broadcaster Jeremy Vine, asked why Labour "touched the Winter Fuel Allowance", referring to Labour's initial plans to scrap the payment before eventually U-turning following backlash from across the political spectrum – including Labour's own benches.
"It's not just the winter fuel lens, there's been so many other own goals," McAnea responded.
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"I think you do have to wonder who's taking the decisions, who's dealing with the communication strategy.
"And I think it's time for a reset in Labour. It's time for the Government to–"
Kuenssberg then intervened: "And will Keir Starmer still be the leader of the Labour Party after the May elections?"
McAnea said: "Who knows? I don't know."
Vine said, "Wow, wow", as Kuenssberg said it was "very significant" that she said she did not know.
McAnea added: "I don't know what will happen in May, and I don't know – depending on what happens in May – what Keir will feel about it or indeed, the Labour MPs will feel about it.
"I expect he will be, but I couldn't honestly guarantee it."
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