SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s claim that he did not know the minister at the centre of the Labour Together spy scandal was rubbished as “not credible” by the SNP today.

Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons sparked outcry in Scottish politics when he discussed the Tories’ plans to ship people seeking asylum to Rwanda while in his former role running the think tank in 2023. 

He said at the time: “Why don’t you send the smuggler gangs and put them on the barge that has been set aside for the asylum-seekers and then ship the barge up to the north of Scotland for all I care, you know, who cares?”

When the Daily Record asked about the comments in 2024, Mr Sarwar said: “My first reaction is ‘who?’ Every party has elements on the fringes that give them moments of cringe.”

Labour Together, however, ploughed more than £100,000 into Scottish Labour’s general election campaign that year — including donations of up to £10,000 to 15 future MPs.

The astro-turf organisation formed within the party to undermine Jeremy Corbyn’s socialist leadership of the party and replace him with Sir Keir Starmer has recently been accused of paying lobbying firm to spy on journalists.

Mr Sarwar last week called on Sir Keir to resign as the Prime Minister launched a Cabinet Office investigation into the organisation after it was alleged that it not only splashed cash on hand-picked parliamentary candidates, but spent at least £30,000 to “investigate the sourcing, funding and origins” of a Sunday Times story about its undeclared donations in the run up to the 2024 general election.

Former SNP MP for Glasgow South West Chris Stephens said: “The truth is that this is a Labour Together government, not a Labour government.

“We now know the claims that there was an orchestrated campaign to select candidates from the Labour right into key constituencies, with input by Peter Mandelson, and that the chosen were funded by big donations from Labour Together. 

“Looking at those funded it is certainly eye opening to see that they occupy either ministerial positions, or occupy select committee posts, and effectively have the policy making machinery under their control.  

“We also know the main funders of Labour Together have clear links to the private healthcare lobby, the pro-Israel lobby, among other interests, which were hidden from public view for a long time, bypassing weak regulation into political funding.

“In parallel, it should be noted that the Electoral Commission has never published its report into Labour Together when they decided to issue them with a fine for unreported donations. This is unusual, and frankly a report should be published.  

“It is simply not credible for Anas Sarwar who claimed he had never heard of an organisation that bankrolled Labour candidates in Scotland to ask people to move on.”

Scottish Culture Secretary Angus Robertson MSP added: “Does Anas Sarwar seriously expect Scottish voters to believe he didn’t know the man responsible for flooding his party with more than £100,000? 

“This dodgy organisation is now being investigated for paying a company to spy on journalists — the idea that Anas Sarwar can simply say ‘who?’ is for the birds.

“Not only must Anas Sarwar hand back the cash the Scottish Labour Party took from this sinister think tank, he should fully comply with any investigation that takes place.

“It’s the same old story with Anas Sarwar — lacking substance, appalling judgement and sheer opportunism. Why on Earth did he allow his Scottish Labour Party to be stuffed with cash from an organisation that was known to have broken the law and investigated for undeclared donations?”

Alluding to the forthcoming trial of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell on charges of embezzlement from the party, a Scottish Labour spokesman hit back: “Angus Robertson is an idiot and this is not the week for the SNP to be demanding transparency from anyone about party finances.

“While the SNP tell the public one thing, it is transparent that they will treat the public’s cash as if it is their own.

“Mr Robertson has yet to disclose adequately why he was paid £22,000 for polls that never happened.

“Can’t wait to hear the answer.”

Labour Together helped propel Sir Keir to power and was previously led by the prime minister’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, whose project to purge the left also involved the removal of former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.

It is alleged to have paid lobbying group Apco to investigate journalists who had reported on secret donations said to be behind its work.

The failure to disclose the donations led to it being fined £14,250 by the Electoral Commission for 20 breaches of law under McSweeney’s leadership.