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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Adam Robertson

Hundreds sign petition calling for Anas Sarwar to resign

 HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling for the resignation of Anas Sarwar for “misleading the Scottish electorate”.

It comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced billions of pounds in spending cuts in a speech on Monday after ordering the Treasury to carry out an audit of the UK’s public finances.

Stephen Flynn said the announcement marked a “new era of austerity” and also said Labour “misled voters” after promising no cuts during the General Election campaign.

In the days leading up to Reeves’s speech, Sarwar (below) was left red-faced as footage re-emerged of him claiming there would be “no austerity under Labour” during a debate with John Swinney.

(Image: PA)

The petition – which can be found HERE – expresses anger at a number of issues, including the fact that Scotland’s Labour MPs voted to keep the two-child cap and the cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment.

It was posted online on Tuesday and is currently approaching 500 signatures. It calls on Keir Starmer to “force the resignation of Sarwar for lying to the Scottish electorate”.

It also demands that the Prime Minister removes the post of Scottish Labour leader because “its function is meaningless”.

Sarwar has come under increasing pressure for his comments, having previously told Swinney during a debate: “Let me say unequivocally. There will be no austerity under a Labour government.

Following Reeves’s announcement, Flynn also accused Labour of misleading the public.

“Throughout the election, the SNP repeatedly warned the Labour Party’s damaging decision to copy Tory fiscal rules and spending plans would mean around £18 billion of cuts or tax rises,” he said.  

“Labour flatly denied this and promised there would be no cuts – but now they have been forced to admit it was true and the cuts will be even deeper than expected.

“The Labour Party misled the public and has broken their promise to voters.”

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