JACKIE Baillie has insisted that Scottish Labour are running the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election campaign during a heated exchange with a BBC presenter.
It comes after the statement on the upcoming by-election was released by UK Labour's press team - not Scottish Labour.
It emerged on Tuesday that more than 10% of the electorate in ex-SNP MP’s Margaret Ferrier’s seat voted to remove her as an MP.
It has triggered a by-election in what will be a hotly contested seat by the SNP and Labour.
Speaking to Good Morning Scotland, the Scottish Labour depurty leader (below) said she wanted to secure a date for the vote “as early as possible” because the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West “have not been properly represented”.
However, Baillie was then asked which policies people would be voting for given Scottish Labour’s split with their UK counterparts on issues such as gender reform and the two-child benefit cap.
The MSP replied: “Look this is the Scottish party that is running this by-election.”
The host then interrupted to say that this was a Westminster election and Baillie asked if she could be allowed to finish her response.
She continued: “What this election is about is about hope and a fresh start. What we will put forward are ambitious policies that are about growing the economy.”
The host and Baillie then proceeded to speak over each other before the MSP said: “Can I say to you there is little point in inviting people on and then not allowing them to answer.”
BBC presenter Gary Robertson replied: “With respect you’re giving us the answer you gave us previously, I’m trying to focus specifically on this policy.
“Maybe we can address that. Which policy is it on trans self-ID that people are getting from the Labour Party?”
Baillie once again insisted that the Scottish Labour party are responsible for any decisions made in Scotland.
“This question is one that is absolutely about respecting devolution, this is a decision for the Scottish Labour party not anybody else.
“I respect devolution but this by-election is about so much more.”
The pair once again started speaking over each other before it was put to Baillie that the MP would vote with Keir Starmer rather than Scottish Labour.
Baillie said: “They are members of the Scottish Labour party. That is respect for devolution which I think you understand.”
The interview comes after Baillie previously told the BBC of Scottish Labour’s “influence” after she was pressed on Starmer’s refusal to commit to scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
In spite of this, the deputy leader was left red faced when the party’s National Policy Forum rejected amendments to end the two-child cap.
She said that this election, from Labour’s point of view, was about ending child poverty and “giving hope to the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West”.
Baillie also added that the party is "absolutely" about lifting people out of poverty.
What have the SNP said so far?
SNP MP David Linden (below) has said the party will look to hold a by-election as quickly as possible.
He told the BBC: “The SNP chief whip Brendan O’Hara will move the writ in the first week that Parliament returns from summer recess – that’s the earliest possible point we can do it – and we aim to do that an ensure that we have that by-election as quickly as possible.”
He also said that Scottish independence will be at the forefront of the SNP’s campaign.
“As is always the case with the SNP, we are not backwards in coming forwards in terms of talking about our support for independence, not least because independence is the only way to change things.
“We’ve got a Labour Party that is furled to the UK Government’s two-child policy and rape clause, they are furled to a bedroom tax, they are furled to Brexit.
“So if voters in Scotland want change, that can only come by voting for the SNP candidate Katy Loudon, and I’m confident voters in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will do that.”
