SCOTTISH Labour must stand up to the UK party and back a third option in any future independence referendum, a former party general secretary has said.

Michael Sharpe also called on the Scottish party to distance itself from Keir Starmer's leadership. 

During the Holyrood election campaign, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar repeatedly said recovery from the coronavirus pandemic should be the priority, not the "old" constitutional arguments. 

But in an article for the Daily Record, Mr Sharpe said: "With the constitution still the prism through which Scottish politics is viewed, Scottish Labour’s dismissive stance on self-determination cut the party off at the knees from voters long since switched to the SNP."

He added: "Change must start by standing up to the UK Party and unquestionably affirming that sovereignty lies with the Scottish people.

"That means fully embracing support for a third option on any Indyref2 ballot – one that would give Scotland far more control over its own affairs economically, socially and internationally whilst retaining UK redistribution and cooperation in vital areas.

"After all, Labour delivered a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers through a multi-option referendum."

Mr Sharpe, who was Scottish general secretary until December and is on the party's left, said the UK Labour Party "still doesn’t get devolution".

He added: "But Scottish Labour can no longer contort itself to make up for that shortcoming.

"As recent polling suggests, Anas Sarwar must distance Scottish Labour from the Keir Starmer leadership – a leadership which has been increasingly directed by the likes of Peter Mandelson - and let Scottish Labour’s voice be heard."

He accused Mr Sarwar of toeing "the Starmer line" on drugs policy, despite Scottish Labour members backing a decriminalisation approach.

He said: "If Scottish Labour values devolution, it should be shouting from the rooftops that it has different policies."

A Scottish Labour spokesman told the Record: “We’re in the third wave of this virus, at this crucial moment in our pandemic response the Scottish Government has most control - so Scottish Labour’s relentless focus continues to be coming through COVID and our national recovery.”