Does Anas Sarwar back Keir Starmer, SNP asks

Anas Sarwar has been urged to say whether Keir Starmer still has his backing following suggestions of a plot to oust the prime minister.

Reports that Starmer could face a leadership challenge should the Budget later this month not land well kicked off a briefing war overnight.

Allies of the prime minister insist he will not go and will fight any challenge, should one emerge.

But dissatisfaction with the Labour leadership has been growing after months of poor polling.

Insiders have previously suggested that if the party does not turn things around by next year’s Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, and English local government elections, Starmer will be under pressure to go.

The SNP has urged the Scottish Labour leader to set out his view on Starmer’s continued leadership.

MSP Rona Mackay said: “While the future of the prime minister hangs in the balance, Anas Sarwar must now confirm if he gives his full backing to Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. 

 “The Scottish Labour leader hung on the coattails of Sir Keir Starmer during the general election and has spent the last year as an apologist for the worst of Labour’s Westminster austerity – from the callous winter fuel payment scrapping to cutting vital support for disabled people.”

Decisions over winter fuel payments, welfare spending, Waspi women compensation and the two-child cap on benefits have been causing a headache for the Labour leadership.

It was forced to U-turn on plans to alter welfare eligibility earlier this year, while it partially reversed its announcement in summer 2024 on winter fuel.

Yesterday, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden confirmed the decision not to compensate women negatively affected by the change to the state pension age was to be revisited.

And the two-child cap is widely expected to be abolished by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her budget on 26 November – but will likely come with increased to income tax, a breach of the party’s manifesto.

MPs rumoured to be gearing up for a leadership challenge include Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Streeting, who has on the morning broadcast round on Wednesday in an attempt to talk about NHS reforms, was forced to deny involvement in any such plan.

He said he could “not see any circumstances under which I would do that to our prime minister” and added: “Whoever's been briefing this has been watching too much celebrity Traitors.”

Allies of Mahmood have also denied the claims.

Scottish Labour has been contacted for comment.