Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is facing mounting pressure to reject planned cuts to disability benefits as a growing number of his party colleagues break ranks with UK leader Keir Starmer.
More than 120 Labour MPs have now signed up to an internal campaign to block the proposed changes, which critics say would push hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people further into poverty.
That includes a quarter of Scottish Labour’s own MPs, alongside senior Labour figures such as Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan.
The proposals, originally backed by Sarwar in March, have drawn widespread criticism from disability rights groups, charities and cross-party voices.
Sarwar had previously echoed Starmer’s view that the current system is “broken”, while five of his MPs publicly described the cuts as “truly progressive”.
That letter, signed by Blair McDougall, Joani Reid, Gregor Poynton, Graeme Downie and Frank McNally, praised the plans despite forecasts that they could push around 250,000 people into poverty.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the Scottish Labour leader now looks “completely isolated”.
Flynn accused Sarwar of vanishing from public view while pressure builds around the issue.
He called on him to reverse his support and instruct every Scottish Labour MP to vote against the plans when they come to Parliament next week.
Flynn said the upcoming vote will be a defining moment for Sarwar and for Scottish Labour.
He warned that if even one Labour MP in Scotland supports the cuts, it will be seen as a betrayal of promises made to voters.
Official estimates suggest the changes would impact hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, including 50,000 children.
Critics say the timing could not be worse, with poverty levels in the UK already at record highs and disabled people among the hardest hit.
The SNP has confirmed its MPs will vote against the legislation if it is brought to the House of Commons.
Flynn said people in Scotland should expect the same commitment from every Labour MP.
With the vote expected as early as Tuesday, the political heat is rising fast.
All eyes will be on whether Scottish Labour stands with Starmer, or with the communities and individuals affected by the proposed cuts.
