Anas Sarwar reveals talks over bespoke immigration for Scotland

The Scottish Labour leader explained he had talks with Yvette Cooper and other colleagues before and after the election, in which he called for the Border Agency reform so it recognises the different challenges and demographics of the UK.

Speaking with Parliament's magazine, The House, Mr Sarwar suggested changes to immigration rules could not be ruled out.

He said: “I’ve had a number of conversations with Yvette Cooper and UK colleagues in the run-up to the election and since the election. They already want to reform the Migration Advisory Committee to make sure there is proper Scottish representation. They recognise there are different migration needs in different parts of the country.

“How do you have an immigration system that respects a single Border Agency, that respects a single immigration system, but also recognises the different demographics and different challenges in different parts of the country? That’s what we’d like to see in terms of reforming the Migration Advisory Committee.”

Mr Sarwar pointed to the Fresh Talent scheme, launched in 2004 when Labour was in power across both administrations. In a bid to encourage people to settle in Scotland, one measure allowed overseas graduates to stay on for two years to find work.

The Glasgow region MSP added: “Through co-operation rather than conflict, these are all models we can look at again in the future.”

Labour had previously been accused of backtracking on the idea of a post-Brexit “Scottish visa”, with Mr Sarwar saying the UK should stick with “one immigration system”.

During the general election campaign Mr Sarwar’s deputy Jackie Baillie had suggested the party was open to looking at ways to “incentivise” more migrants to come to Scotland.

In October, a UK government source told the BBC: “We are not at all considering a Scottish visa system.”

The Scottish Labour leader also expressed hopes to turn the House of Lords into a “Senate of the Nations and Regions”, said he would like to see a “legal duty of co-operation” between Westminster and Holyrood brought in, as well as parliamentary privilege in the Scottish Parliament.