Labour will never make a deal with the SNP to secure power, says Ian Murray

Labour has insisted it will seek to secure power in Westminster without making any deals with the SNP in Scotland.

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray claimed the Conservatives are the “biggest threat” to the union rather than the SNP, as he criticised Prime Minister Liz Truss for seeking to help bankers’ with their bonuses.

He added the SNP are “not our friends” and exist only to “rip Scotland out of the UK”.

Mr Murray told the Labour Party conference in Liverpool: “And please don’t forget, at the last election, (First Minister) Nicola Sturgeon encouraged people in England to vote Green, not Labour.

“So let me reiterate (Sir Keir Starmer’s) message – no deals with the SNP, none, no, nay, never.

“The only deal we want to make is directly with the Scottish people.

“Our party was founded by a Scot. Scotland has been integral to our movement. That will never change.

“Of course, we can’t resolve the imbalances in our country overnight, there is a lot of work to do.

“But it will be work that will be at the heart of the next Labour Government.”

Mr Murray went on to confirm a blueprint for the future of the UK being drawn up by former prime minister Gordon Brown will try to “convince Scotland to stay” and also “make Britain such a great place to be that everyone and all corners of the country will want to be part of it”.

He said the work is “nearing completion”, with the document to be launched “in the coming months”.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar claimed Ms Truss is “more dangerous than Margaret Thatcher” before insisting there is a “majority for change”.

He told conference: “Let me be clear: no ifs, no buts, no deals with the SNP, but a coalition of the people to beat the Tories.

“Working with our trade union colleagues and all those who believe in a fairer, greener future, it is our job to build that coalition to win.”