As Sarwar began his speech six weeks ago, a flurry of senior Labour ministers took to social media to express their support for the prime minister.
The Scottish Labour leader says that although he had spoken to a number of colleagues at the time, he had kept his personal views “largely to himself”, insisting he was “not part of any coup or plot”.
Since the resignation call, Sarwar says he has only personally spoken to the prime minister on the phone once.
Prior to this, Sarwar said very few people in politics had as close a relationship with Starmer as he did.
“I think it’s safe to say that saying what I said will have hurt him,” he said.
Now, he says their relationship is “difficult, but still professional”.
“I do genuinely like him as a human being,” he said. “I do think he is a man of decency and integrity. I do think that he wants what’s best for our country.
“But I’m the one who has got to face the electorate. I’ve got to tell them who I am.”