THE Scottish Labour leader has insisted Humza Yousaf has “degraded the office of First Minister” by sharing a front page from the Press and Journal branding his party as “traitors”.

Anas Sarwar was speaking to the BBC’s Podlitical podcast after the First Minister twice reposted an image of the newspaper’s front page from February 15, which showed Labour figures cloaked up like the eponymous “Traitors” from the hit BBC show presented by Claudia Winkleman.

The four Labour politicians – leader Keir Starmer, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband, and Sarwar – were the target of an attack from Ryan Crighton, the director of policy at the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

Crighton had claimed that Labour’s plans for an expanded windfall tax was a “betrayal” of the north east of Scotland and could cost up to 100,000 jobs.

READ MORE: Nova Innovation CEO in renewables warning to Scottish Government

Yousaf refused to apologise for sharing the front page when he was asked about the potential inflammatory language it used by journalists earlier this week, adding that he would always stand up for the north east.

But Sarwar has criticised Yousaf for his “dangerous judgement call” adding he think it “degrades the office of First Minister”.

He said: “The reason why I think it is dangerous is – let’s not forget – that two parliamentarians have lost their lives.

“And don’t forget that our politics is really bitter and divided particularly on social media platforms and we have to find a way of doing politics where we fundamentally disagree, we have heated debates, but we don’t allow the impression to be created that means we dislike, despise or hate each other, because hate ferments a different reaction than just how people vote in any individual election.”

He added that Yousaf amplifying the front page “demeans him and I think degrades the office of First Minister”.

Sarwar said it was for newspapers to decide on their language but politicians made “a judgement call” by sharing articles.

READ MORE: Scotland must 'use its voice' to stop oil-style 'theft of renewables'

“I don’t think it’s the right language for our politics,” he added.

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie has also accused Yousaf of “inflammatory rhetoric”.

Yousaf told journalists on Monday he did not regret sharing the front page.

He said: "No, I thought it was a very important front page from the P&J. A very good front page from the P&J, because what it did, of course, it pointed out the fact that Labour has completely turned its back on the north east.

“Their plans would mean effectively 100,000 jobs in the north east being put at risk. I'll never apologise for standing up for the north east and as I say, if you've got any issues with the front page of the P&J, you should probably ask the P&J about that."