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Sir Keir Starmer bids to ‘unite and unify’ Labour on visit to Scotland

It comes after several MSPs resigned from the Scottish Labour front bench.

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Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer said he visited Scotland to help “unite and unify” Labour, insisting it is time for the party to “pull together” and focus on the job in hand.

The party leader travelled to Edinburgh on Thursday on what was his first trip north of the border since lockdown.

The visit came after Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard saw several MSPs on his front bench resign.

Those who resigned, including Daniel Johnson and James Kelly, said they no longer have confidence in Mr Leonard’s leadership.

Sir Keir said he has an “excellent working relationship” with Mr Leonard, and he described Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray as a “first class” member of his shadow cabinet.

Speaking after a visit to Edinburgh University’s medical school, Sir Keir said: “I ran the entire leadership campaign to become leader of the Labour Party on the argument that we needed to unite and unify our party, and that’s among the reasons I’m here in Scotland today.

“That’s why I’m talking to colleagues in Scottish Labour, because what I want to see in Scotland is our party to pull together and to focus on the job in hand.

“Which is what we need to do between now and next May in relation to the (Scottish) election.”

He also said he wants to “restore trust in Scotland in the Labour Party as a force for good and a force for change”.

Asked about calls for another referendum on Scottish independence, he said: “One of my frustrations is that in the middle of a pandemic when we’ve got infection rates going back up again, we’ve got Boris Johnson and his Government reopening Brexit, breaking international law and stirring up old divisions.

“And you’ve got the SNP talking about independence, when in my view we should all be talking about how we work together to defeat the virus.

“I don’t think that now is the time for a further divisive referendum and that’s my message, that’s the argument we will be making between now and May.”

Keir Starmer visit to Edinburgh
Sir Keir arrives at the University of Edinburgh School of Medicine (Jane Barlow/PA)

Discussing party funding for next year’s Scottish Parliament election, he said: “We’re determined to have a very strong campaign here in Scotland, that’s one of the things I’ll be discussing with Richard Leonard this afternoon.

“Scotland is really important to me and to the Labour Party and we will be making sure that funding is there.”

Asked about Brexit, he said the “Leave-Remain divide is over” but he warned exiting the EU without a deal would be a “catastrophic failure of negotiation” from the Prime Minister.

Sir Kier Starmer held his first face to face meeting with Richard Leonard since becoming Labour leader in April. (Scottish Labour/PA)

Mr Leonard said he had held discussions with Sir Keir about how they “will work closely together to deliver Labour’s plans at Scottish and UK levels to create jobs and revive the economy, as we head towards a deep recession”.

It was the first face-to-face meeting the two men had had since Sir Keir became UK Labour leader in April this year.

Mr Leonard said afterwards: “I look forward to campaigning with Keir during his future visits to Scotland, ahead of May’s Holyrood elections on a united Labour platform for a progressive Scotland within a reformed UK.”

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