Labour contenders spurn Tory offer of 'unionist coalition' to stop SNP

Both Scottish Labour leadership candidates have said they would refuse to join the Tories in a ‘unionist coalition’ to thwart the SNP.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, said he would be prepared to work with Labour after May’s election in an effort to defeat nationalist plans for a new independence referendum.

However, both Anas Sarwar and Monica Lennon, who are vying to replace Richard Leonard, rejected the offer within half an hour, and attacked Tory social policies.

Labour insiders described the offer as a "petty stunt", although Mr Ross said the reaction to it from the candidates showed the party were putting tribalism above maintaining the 314-year-old union.

Senior SNP figures have insisted that a new referendum on separation could be held later this year, despite Boris Johnson confirming repeatedly that he would turn down any new request to transfer powers to Holyrood to hold a second vote.

Mr Ross had said: “The SNP are pushing for indyref2 this year. Just days ago, they launched a new task force to campaign for independence, even while we're in the middle of a pandemic.

"I've been very clear that I would work with Labour against the SNP. A unionist coalition is something I would be part of, if it meant stopping the SNP.

"Voters will want to know if the Labour leadership candidates will put the union first or their own tribal politics first."

Mr Sarwar said that he would not work with Mr Ross, accusing both the Tories and SNP of seeking to divide the country, and citing child poverty statistics.

Ms Lennon said she was giving the Tory offer a “red card” - a reference to Mr Ross’s other job as a football referee - and claimed she would instead see him on the campaign trail where she said Labour would be “fighting for radical social and economic change”.

A Labour source said the ‘unionist coalition’ offer was “nothing but a petty stunt by the Tories because Douglas can’t get any cut through with voters”.

The constitution has emerged as an early dividing line in the Labour contest, with Mr Sarwar ruling out agreeing to a second referendum for the entirety of the next Holyrood parliament.

However, while opposed to independence, Ms Lennon has insisted she would “respect democracy” and believes the timing of any new vote should be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

A majority of MSPs have voted for a new referendum last year, although the UK Government rejected a request to allow a new vote, before the SNP temporarily ditched its plans due to the pandemic.

Labour is split over what should happen if a pro-independence parliament is elected next May, with some supporting staunch opposition to a new vote under any circumstances and others believing a softer line would help win back supporters who deserted the party for the SNP.

Mr Ross said both Mr Sarwar and Ms Lennon’s rejection of his coalition offer showed “they’ll always put tribal loyalties before the future of the United Kingdom.”