Sarwar says Starmer 'welcome to chap doors' during Scottish election campaign

Anas Sarwar has said Sir Keir Starmer is "welcome to come and chap doors" during the Scottish election campaign - despite urging him to resign as prime minister.

The Scottish Labour leader called for a change in leadership at Downing Street last week when he said "too many mistakes" had been made at the top of the UK government.

Starmer insisted he would not quit and was publicly backed by the majority of his cabinet ministers.

Sarwar has stood by his decision to call for the PM to go - saying his "loyalty and first priority is to Scotland" and on becoming Scotland's first minister on 7 May.

And he told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show that he would have no problem with Starmer "chapping on doors" if it helped secure success at the Holyrood election.

The Scottish Labour leader said: "I stand by what I said (for the prime minister to resign). I'm very clear about my opinion.

"It's for other people in other parts of the UK to state their views.

"I care about one place – Scotland. And I care about one election – the one on the seventh of May.

"And I care most about changing one person out of office, and that's the first minister's office because this country is desperate for a different direction."

Sarwar added: "If he (Sir Keir) wants to come and chap doors, as a Labour party member of course he would be welcome to come and encourage people to vote for me to become first minister.

"But what I do want ministers to be doing is delivering for Scotland."

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachel Hamilton said Sarwar was "trying every trick in the book to distance himself from Keir Starmer, but Scots will not be fooled".

She added: "With three of his Scottish Labour MSPs currently suspended, Sarwar's party are engulfed in the same levels of sleaze as their counterparts in Downing Street."

It was widely reported that Sarwar spoke to senior Labour figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former deputy leader Angela Rayner, before calling for Sir Keir to resign.

But he has since denied being part of a wider plot to remove the prime minister.

Following the call for him to quit, Starmer expressed "huge respect" for Sarwar, giving his "100%" backing to the Scottish Labour leader.

He also told reporters Sarwar would make an "incredible" first minister.

Starmer has faced criticism in recent weeks, with his judgement coming under question over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, despite his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Downing Street chief of staff Morgan MacSweeney said he took "full responsibility" for advising the PM to appoint Lord Mandelson and resigned.