ANAS Sarwar has conveniently hidden the countless England flags lining Downing Street as he posted a message claiming Scotland is “at the heart of a Labour government”.
The Scottish Labour group leader (at least in name) was down in London on Tuesday to visit the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Sarwar was joined by Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie and the group’s 37 new MPs after their General Election victory north of the Border.
They were keen to stress, as Starmer himself has done, that Labour has a commitment to Scotland – and won’t simply focus on Westminster now the election’s won.
But there was one issue with Labour’s carefully choreographed Scottish messaging: all the England bunting behind their new MPs outside Downing Street.
The flags were no doubt in support of England in the Euros, where they will play the semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
But, when trying to send a message about how Scottish the UK Government is, having dozens of England flags behind you may give the game away.
Someone in Sarwar’s press team noticed the issue, however, and made sure that those pesky St George’s crosses were well hidden in his own social media post from the occasion.
Scotland at the heart of a Labour government. pic.twitter.com/auSLINxhMl
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) July 9, 2024
“Scotland at the heart of a Labour government,” Sarwar wrote, sharing an image of him and Starmer standing very close together and looking into each other's eyes.
The pair’s intimate moment happened while they were flanked by more than 30 other Labour figures – who were also conveniently hiding the England flags along the Downing Street railing (except a cheeky couple on the right).
The England flags were also carefully hidden in Starmer's own version of Sarwar's post, which was, shockingly, almost identical in content.
Scotland is back at the beating of heart of my government.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 9, 2024
Great to welcome @AnasSarwar and our Scottish Labour MPs and MSPs to Downing Street today.
The work of change starts now. pic.twitter.com/E4wX9YnPdN
During a live Sky News broadcast on Tuesday morning, Sarwar, Baillie, and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray could be seen snapping pictures on the Downing Street steps in the background.
They didn’t seem too desperate to hide the England flags then.
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