THE Labour Party are “indistinguishable” from the Tories on issues such as backing the “unfolding catastrophe” of Brexit and blocking an independence referendum, the SNP have said.
SNP depute Westminster leader Mhairi Black said the party has no answer to the issues facing Scotland ahead of Keir Starmer appearing at Scottish Labour’s spring conference today.
The UK Labour leader will try to make a pitch to those who have given up on the party claiming to be the “change that Scotland needs” in a keynote speech in Edinburgh.
He will say that he will be the prime minister “for the UK, not just prime minister of the UK” if successful.
And he will once again rule out the possibility of any deal with the SNP allowing an independence referendum following the next General Election.
He will say: “Whatever happens in the coming months, my message is the same: no deal under any circumstances.”
Starmer has ruled out reversing Brexit, which led to the creation of a new customs and regulatory border between the UK and the EU.
He will also tell the conference he believes the Union can help challenges of the future such as climate change and the cost of living crisis and that “sticking up a border doesn’t solve any of them”.
“But we must accept that many Scots look at Tory Britain and conclude the way out is the way forward,” he will add.
“I want to address those who had given up on Labour directly. And, yes, those who had given up on Britain.
“I know the people of Scotland want change and hope. Not a showy, grandiose hope. What I mean is the basic, ordinary hope, we used to take for granted. The sort of hope you can build your future around. That aspirations are made of.
“That was shared by working people across our four nations in good times and bad. The hope that people in Scotland are once again looking to see if Labour can offer.”
However SNP MP Black said: “Under Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar Labour have become a pro-Brexit party that are indistinguishable from the Tories on a whole range of issues. Like the Tories, they are intent on blocking the cast-iron democratic mandate for an independence referendum.
“And just like the Conservatives they are fully signed up to the unfolding catastrophe of Brexit and the huge damage it is inflicting on Scotland.
“This Scottish Labour conference is an opportunity for Starmer to show that he supports the basic principles of democracy and Scotland’s right to choose its own future – but we won’t hold our breath.
“Similarly, he should recognise that Scotland was forced out of the EU against our will by a Westminster government we didn’t vote for – but all we can expect is Starmer doubling down on his hard Brexit rhetoric to win Tory votes in England.”
She added: “He should also use this visit to Scotland to ban Labour councillors from working with the Tories – ending the coalitions across Scotland that were formed simply to lock the SNP out of power.
“Labour have no answers for Scotland on the key issues facing us as a nation – only independence will allow us a path back into the EU and rid of us of a corrupt, broken Westminster system where the Tories and Labour are increasingly hard to tell apart.”
Meanwhile Sarwar has said he would take any of the rumoured SNP candidates to replace Nicola Sturgeon.
The Scottish Labour leader said he was confident in his party’s chances against any of those rumoured to be set to announce their candidacy.
“I’d take any of them,” he said. “I’m less interested in who leads the SNP, I’m more interested in what we would do differently.
“Let them talk to themselves, let them have those divides out in the public.”
