Humza Yousaf snubbed by Keir Starmer after trying to strike 'dirty deal' with Labour

Humza Yousaf snubbed by Keir Starmer after trying to strike 'dirty deal' with Labour
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 22/01/2024

- 16:48

Yousaf said he wanted to 'establish a working relationship' with the Labour leader

Humza Yousaf has been snubbed by the Labour Party after Starmer refused to meet with the SNP leader for talks about how the two parties can work together.

The Scottish First Minister reached out to Sir Keir Starmer to talk about the "shared interests" of the two parties.


Yousaf said he wanted to "establish a working relationship" with the Labour leader, saying that he is "undoubtedly" going to be the next prime minister.

Writing to Starmer, he said: "SNP MPs will work with you.

Yousaf/Starmer

Humza Yousaf has been snubbed by the Labour Party after Starmer refused to meet with the SNP leader for talks

PA

"When it comes to Keir Starmer being the next prime minister of the United Kingdom, which I think he absolutely will be, I should say I'm very willing to work with an incoming Labour government.”

He said that differing political views should not "prevent us being able to work together".

Yousaf added: "I hope you will accept this invitation to meet and that we can establish a working relationship in the interests of the people we represent."

Labour confirmed this morning that Starmer would not be accepting the invitation for a meeting at Bute House.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Scots are crying out for change not just from the Tories but from the SNP.

"From a culture of secrecy and cover-up to life-threatening failures in our NHS, Humza Yousaf’s party is failing working people.

“Humza Yousaf should spend less time commenting on elections and more on fixing the mess the SNP have made.

“Not a single vote has been cast - Labour has no complacency over the coming election.

"Only a Labour government can deliver the change that Scotland and all of the UK needs.”

Shadow Home Secretary Yyvette Cooper on Sunday said Labour was "not doing deals with the SNP".

She told the BBC: "The important thing is to have a Labour government elected, to get rid of the Conservatives where everything feels broken right across the country."

While Starmer has ruled out doing a deal with the SNP if he fails to reach a majority, Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said the SNP's correspondence with the Westminster opposition party "goes to show that you can't trust Labour".

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Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith told The Sun: “This correspondence just goes to show that you can’t trust Labour or the SNP not to do some sort of dirty deal.

"A Labour government, propped up by the SNP, puts the union at risk and also raises the prospect of rejoining the EU.

"Both parties are committed to extreme and impractical net zero policies that simply make people colder, poorer and would plunge the country into debt.”

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