Anas Sarwar described Sir Keir Starmer as an "introvert" as he insisted the Prime Minister did not "dominate" his leadership of Scottish Labour.
Speaking at The Herald's Unspun Live at the Fringe, the Scottish Labour leader said the Prime Minister's governance of the UK was "absolutely" beneficial when it comes to his chances of becoming first minister in the Scottish Parliament elections in May.
Mr Sarwar said the Prime Minister's body language was "more relaxed" in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK.
“We’re different personalities. I am much more conversational, out there, a bit more extrovert. I think it’s safe to say he is a bit more introverted in that sense.
“I’m in charge in Scotland – of course I am.
“What’s really interesting is if you actually compare his body language to when he is in Scotland, compared to when he is in the UK, he’s actually more relaxed in Scotland than he is in other parts of the UK.
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“We’ve built up a rapport and probably push him to be a bit more extroverted than perhaps in other parts of the UK.”
Mr Sarwar said he spoke with the Prime Minister "at least two to three times per month".
The Herald's editor, Catherine Salmond, asked Mr Sarwar whether he dreaded the Prime Minister's trips to Scotland.
Unpopular policies such as the two-child benefit cap and cuts to the winter fuel payment have caused internal unrest within the party.
“No,” he said, adding it was “absolutely” beneficial to his Scottish Labour leadership.
He said the Prime Minister “enjoyed” being in Scotland. But he said: “We aren’t dominated. I do what I want to do, when I want to do and how I want to do it. I lead the Scottish Labour Party. I want to be First Minister and I want to lead the Scottish Government.”
He said there was an “obsession” with the dynamic between UK and Scottish Labour.
Day three of @heraldscotland's Unspun Live at the Fringe at Summerhall. Anas Sarwar's our guest tonight. @SalmondSalmond quizzing him on Gaza and Starmer. pic.twitter.com/RYRPZ3fG78
— Andrew Learmonth (@andrewlearmonth) August 6, 2025
Throughout the hour-long grilling, Mr Sarwar emphasised his ambition to become Scotland's next first minister, and the first Labour first minister since Jack McConnell in 2007.
“I’m putting my heart, soul, energy and time into winning the election next year. We have done a huge amount of work to change the Scottish Labour Party in the last four years.
“I look around and I see endless potential and opportunity in Scotland. What a difference it would make if there was an FM with a can do attitude, rather than a can’t do attitude.”
He added he “fundamentally believes” he would be a better first minister than John Swinney.
The Scottish Labour leader was full of praise for the Prime Minister, however he admitted Sir Keir's handling of the crisis in Gaza was "challenging" in the beginning.
The Prime Minister told LBC in October 2023 that Israel had the "right" to withhold water from Gaza.
Meanwhile Mr Sarwar had been supportive of calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Asked whether the Prime Minister had handled the crisis well, he replied: “Look, the opening part was difficult.”
The Prime Minister’s LBC interview “caused a lot of upset,” he added.
Mr Sarwar said: “I have always been of the view that cutting off the electricity, water, food, is a breach of international humanitarian law.”
He added: “The early part was of course challenging and he himself accepts that what he said in the LBC wasn’t right. It was wrong. But I don’t think enough people recognise things. One is that there are probably more people that think we in the UK have the influence to stop Benjamin Netanyahu than we do.”
Mr Sarwar also ruled out forming a coalition with any other party in Holyrood, but accepted the election would be a close call between Labour and the SNP and ultimately lead to a minority government.
Earlier this week, Professor Sir John Curtice gave his prediction on Holyrood 2026 at Unspun Live at the Fringe, telling political correspondent Hannah Brown it would be "most extremely unlikely" for the SNP to win a majority next year.
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