Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out holding independence talks with the SNP if the party wins the most seats in Scotland at the next general election – as he accused Humza Yousaf of trying to hide his Government’s “failure in record” by focusing on the constitution.

Campaigning in Scotland on Friday, the Labour leader was pressed on what he would do if the Scottish First Minister attempts to open independence talks after the election expected next year.

A new policy from Mr Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn makes clear that winning the most Scottish seats in the next general election would give the Scottish Government a mandate to open such discussions.

The policy, to be discussed at the SNP conference in October, has been put forward in the wake of successive prime ministers refusing to grant a mandate for a second independence referendum.

With polls suggesting Sir Keir could be in 10 Downing Street after the next Westminster election, he was asked if he would take part in talks with Mr Yousaf.

Sir Keir responded by accusing the SNP of using “divisive politics” as a “mask for the failure in record”.

He said: “The fact is they haven’t got a record, which is why they are simply going on the attack.

“When a party goes on the attack like that, there is only one reason and that is because they know they haven’t got a record to stand on.

“Yet again we descend into this SNP-led discussion which is not about the cost-of-living crisis, it is not about the health service, it is not about the way they have lost control of education and the economy here in Scotland, but is about a divisive issue about the constitution.

“I think their priorities are completely wrong.”

Polls suggest Labour could win a number of seats north of the border from the SNP at the general election, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the suggestion that the SNP could “lose tens of seats and it gives them a mandate is laughable”.

Mr Sarwar hit out at the SNP for “changing goal posts”, with previous leader Nicola Sturgeon having wanted to use the Westminster election as a de facto referendum on independence, which would have seen the SNP claim a mandate to open talks if they secured 50% plus one of all votes cast in Scotland.

Speaking about the SNP, Mr Sarwar said: “This is a party that is in terminal decline, has no clear strategy for the election.

“The one thing we do know is the next general election is not going to be fought on the SNP’s terms, it’s going to be a change election about whether you want another Tory government or not.

“People in Scotland are going to get rid of that Tory government by electing Scottish Labour MPs.”