Labour leadership rivals dismiss MEP’S call for an ‘unthinkable’ coalition with Nationalists

The contenders for the Scottish Labour leadership yesterday cold shouldered a senior colleague’s suggestion that the party could go into coalition with the SNP at Holyrood.

David Martin, the long-serving Labour MEP, has said he believes the time has come for Labour to do the “unthinkable” and work with Nicola Sturgeon’s party.

Mr Martin, who in the past has warned that EU withdrawal could see the break up of the UK, pointed to the Labour Welsh government and the SNP administration working together on Brexit as an example of the potential for co-operation between the two traditional enemies.

He suggested moves to recognise common ground were necessary now in case the 2021 Holyrood elections fail to give either party a majority.

He said: “We are far away from the next Holyrood elections, but I think the groundwork should be being laid now for a potential Snp-labour coalition that to many will seem unthinkable. There are signals, very weak signals, the real hate – and it was hate – between Labour and the SNP is beginning to weaken. I would not quite say there is a rapprochement but there is more possibility of co-operation and working together than there has been in a long time. Being on the same side in the Brexit referendum has helped that.”

But the proposal was rejected by Scottish Labour leadership candidate Anas Sarwar, who said: “David is one of Scotland’s most respected politicians and has campaigned tirelessly against the Tories’ reckless Brexit plans. But on this one issue, we have to disagree. I am a socialist, not a Nationalist, and there is simply nothing progressive about the SNP. I see the misery the SNP has inflicted on my community in Glasgow and across Scotland, with £1.5 billion of cuts to local services since 2011.

He added: “As Labour leader I will work every day to kick the SNP out of power, because we need a government that puts Labour values at the heart of Scotland’s future.”

A spokesman for Mr Sarwar’s rival for the leadership, Richard Leonard, said: “We are campaigning for Labour to win in 2021. Talks of pacts, coalitions and hung parliaments are a distraction.”

SNP MEP Alyn Smith said the call was a “welcome intervention”. Former Labour minister Malcolm Chisholm also signalled his support for the idea, posting “I like this” on Twitter.

Scottish Tory deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: “This is further proof that Labour’s main objective seems to be to conspire alongside the nationalists to fight the will of the Scottish people.”

“We are far away from the next Holyrood elections, but I think the groundwork should be being laid now for a potential Snp-labour coalition”

tom.peterkin@scotsman.com