Starmer promises to deliver for Scotland as he begins tour of devolved nations

Sir Keir Starmer said his Labour government would serve “the entirety of Scotland” as he began a tour of the UK.

The Prime Minister said he was seeking an “immediate reset” of the relationship between the Westminster Government and devolved nations as he prepared for talks with leaders in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Speaking in Edinburgh, Sir Keir said the 37 Labour MPs elected in Scotland would “bring about the change” that people wanted.

Appearing alongside Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Sir Keir said: “We have this team to be part of a government, sitting on the government benches, all working to deliver for Scotland.

“This team here, the whole of the Labour Party in government and myself, delivering for Scotland.”

He added: “We govern humbly, saying thank you to every single person in Scotland who put their trust and faith in the Labour Party to bring about the change that they need.”

He added: “To those people who didn’t vote Labour, I want to directly address you too because we will serve the entirety of Scotland, we’ll serve every single person in Scotland because that change matters to everyone and that is how we go forward.”

Ahead of his trip, Sir Keir said he wants to “turn disagreement into co-operation” with the SNP administration in Scotland.

Sir Keir’s whistlestop tour of the UK comes ahead of a packed first full week in office, with little time to settle in at Number 10 as he prepares to head to the Nato summit in Washington on Tuesday.

Sir Keir, who will have talks with First Minister John Swinney in Edinburgh later on Sunday, said: “Our UK Government will place Scotland back at the beating heart of everything we do.

“To the people of Scotland, my message is simple and clear: You are at the heart of how we unleash prosperity across the country. We will rebuild a strong Scotland at the forefront of our decade of national renewal.

“My offer to the Scottish Government is the same. We can turn disagreement into co-operation and, through meaningful co-operation and a genuine seat at the table, deliver change for a generation.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and the new Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray joined the First Minister and Prime Minister for talks.

First Minister John Swinney said: “I was pleased to welcome Sir Keir to Bute House so soon after his appointment as UK Prime Minister.

“We continued our conversation about areas of shared interest. I believe there is an opportunity for collaborative working that can make a difference to people’s lives and I hope to work with Sir Keir’s new Government to deliver progress for the benefit of people in Scotland.

“Following our talks, I am confident we have established the foundation for a productive relationship between our two governments based on renewed respect for the devolution settlement.

“On a personal note, having been First Minister for two months and a minister for many years, I am very aware of the demands of office. I again offered Sir Keir and his family my congratulations on his appointment and my best wishes for what will be a demanding start to his term in office.”