Latest general election: Starmer says Labor would work with Trump if elected as Abbott splits party

The Labor Party confirmed he flew to Scotland from Wales on a private jet, despite pledging a greener future with Labour.

He tells the audience: “Yes, we used a private jet because we had to get to Scotland very quickly from Wales yesterday. We need to use the most efficient form of transport in the middle of a very, very busy general election campaign.

“We offset carbon. We always do everything we use air freight. So that’s the approach we’re taking. We have five weeks to get our argument across.

“I have to go all over the country to talk to as many people as possible, and at times we have to do it as efficiently as possible.”

The Labor leader appears to be fueling further speculation over whether Diane Abbott will run for the party in Hackney North.

Asked for his stance, Sir Keir again repeated his old line: “No decision has been made. So this is the factual position. No decision to stop Diane.

“Obviously she has turned the whip and has been a pioneer for many years, but the fact remains that no decision has been made.”

Senior barrister Martin Forde KC said Labor is “underestimating” the impact the party’s treatment of Diane Abbott and Faiza Shaheen is having on voters.

Asked about this, Sir Keir Starmer says the party has “excellent candidates” and “a lot of black candidates” standing in the election.

Asked about the Diane Abbott ban, he says he wanted a high standard of candidates early in the selection process.

The Labor leader has just finished his speech in the West of Scotland and is now taking questions from the press.

Asked about his comments on working with convicted Donald Trump, he repeated his earlier statement, saying: “We respect the decision in the Trump case and the judicial process.”

He added that “it is up to the American people to decide” and a Labor government would work with whoever wins the US presidential race.

Starmer said: “We have a special relationship with the US but it is an unprecedented situation and there is no doubt about that.”

Swinney says Labor will let the Scottish people down and claims the Tories’ spending plans will cut £18 billion in public spending.

He then asks Sir Keir Starmer to “commit in Scotland today to an emergency budget that will end austerity”.

The Labor leader has said he would work with Donald Trump if he is elected US president, although the situation is “unprecedented”.

Keir Starmer said he “respected the court’s decision” to find Trump guilty on 34 counts, adding: “We are in an unprecedented situation, there is no doubt about that.”

He said the future of the US presidency is up to the American people: “Obviously, if we have the privilege to come in to serve, we’re going to work with whoever they choose as president. But there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a completely unprecedented situation.”

The Labor leader tells the audience that Scotland has “waited a long time” for this general election and the “opportunity for change”.

He says: “SKP say they want you to vote to send a message. To send a message to go and sit in the opposition benches protesting. I don’t want you to vote to send a message – I want you to vote to send a government – a Labor government with Scotland at heart.”

The shadow energy minister says the Conservative Party and the SNP are “the two faces of energy failure and Labor says it’s time to turn the page”.

Miliband promises Labor will deliver a “bold and credible” energy plan, saying: “Our mission is simple, which is to deliver energy security and cut bills for good, with the biggest investment in energy purely native in our history”.

He adds: “It is time to mobilize our scientists and engineers, our businesses, our innovators and our communities across Scotland in this mission. It is time to end the defeatism that says Britain can no longer lead. It’s time to face the climate crisis and own it.

When Keir talks about mission-driven government, it’s not a slogan. It is a call to arms for our country. We are optimistic about these elections.

Labour’s deputy leader says: “We need you, we want to end this chaos, but we will only do it if Scotland chooses to vote for it.

“We need Scotland to send a government to Westminster, not just a message”

She adds that the SNP are just as bad as the Tories and claims both parties have failed to deliver for working people.

Ms Rayner promises to stop “firing and rehiring”, end exploitative zero-hours contracts and create more family-friendly jobs.

Labour’s six promises for Scotland are different from those in England. The party wants to focus more on employment and Scottish partnership in the region.

The audience is given promise cards outlining six steps if chosen:

• Ensure economic stability
• Reduce NHS waiting times
• Create Great British Energy
• Do the work payment
• Create jobs and opportunities
• Maximize Scotland’s impact