SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar put clear red water between the Scotland and Britain-wide parties today by saying he would stand with workers “from the picket line to Parliament.”

British Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer ordered shadow cabinet members not to attend picket lines last year and sacked frontbencher Sam Tarry for joining striking RMT members on one.

But Mr Sarwar said: “I expect my shadow cabinet, my MSPs and many MPs to join the front line, to join picket lines.”
 
He stressed the benefits electing Labour at British level would have for workers, including “sector-wide, government-backed negotiations between employers and unions to set minimum pay rates and basic conditions.” 
 
He also praised the plans for Great British Energy, which he claimed would mean “we don’t just nationalise the losses, we nationalise the profits of energy companies” — though Labour’s proposal does not involve nationalising existing companies.