The Labour Party is in open civil war tonight as Scottish leader Anas Sarwar has detonated a political grenade, calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign immediately to save the party from electoral annihilation.

In a hastily arranged press conference in Glasgow that has stunned Westminster, Sarwar declared that "the distraction has to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change." The intervention is unprecedented—a devolved leader publicly knifing a sitting Prime Minister from his own party. The catalyst? A deepening scandal involving Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US Ambassador and his toxic links to the Jeffrey Epstein saga. Sarwar, facing a crucial Holyrood election in May, has calculated that Starmer is now a "dead weight" that will drag Scottish Labour down to defeat against the SNP.

The Mandelson Effect

Sarwar’s move is a desperate act of self-preservation. Polls show Labour trailing a distant third in Scotland, behind the SNP and Reform. The "Mandelson Scandal" has become a lightning rod for voter anger, reinforcing the perception of a remote, sleaze-ridden Westminster elite. "I need to decide what I'm willing to accept," Sarwar told reporters, effectively stating he can no longer campaign for a Starmer-led government.

Downing Street is reeling. Starmer’s communications director, Tim Allan, has already resigned, and Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney has also walked. The Prime Minister is isolated, clinging to power while his lieutenants flee the sinking ship. Sarwar’s public defection gives permission for other disgruntled MPs to break cover, potentially triggering a leadership challenge within days.

• The Quote: "Keir Starmer is a decent man... but there have been too many mistakes. I will not sacrifice Scotland to a third decade of SNP rule."
• The Stakes: If Labour loses Scotland in May, their path to a majority in the next General Election becomes mathematically impossible.
• The Reaction: The SNP’s Stephen Flynn called Sarwar’s move "political cowardice," accusing him of acting only when his own job was on the line.

Endgame for Starmer?

This is the most dangerous moment of Starmer’s premiership. When your own generals start shooting at you, the end is usually near. Sarwar has framed this as a choice between the Party’s future and Starmer’s ego. By putting "Scotland First," he has effectively declared independence from the London leadership.

The "Red Wall" in the North of England is watching closely. If the Scottish fortress falls, the dominoes will start to tumble. Tonight, Keir Starmer is not just fighting for his job; he is fighting for the soul of the Labour Party.