Anas Sarwar has been challenged to “come out of hiding and speak out against the Labour Chancellor’s plans for devastating austerity cuts before it’s too late” – ahead of the UK budget.
During the UK general election, Mr Sarwar promised voters the Labour government would end austerity cuts and pledged to stand up to Keir Starmer and defend Scotland’s interests.
Since taking power though, Scottish Labour has defended and supported:
· Cutting the winter fuel payment for 900,000 Scottish pensioners.
· Voted to keep the cruel two-child cap.
· And failed to prevent a 10% hike to energy bills, despite promising a £300 cut.
Speculation before the UK budget suggests the Labour Chancellor will continue austerity cuts in UK government departments, impose a massive tax hike on small and medium sized businesses and stubbornly stick to her political decision to remove the winter fuel payment from pensioners.
The SNP’s Pete Wishart MP has now challenged Anas Sarwar to outline which cuts Scottish Labour MPs are prepared to oppose and vote against.
In days ahead of the UK budget, while senior Cabinet ministers have voiced their opposition to the Chancellor’s plans to impose damaging austerity cuts, Anas Sarwar has been completely silent and nowhere to be seen.
Commenting, SNP Depute Westminster Leader Pete Wishart MP said:
“With the UK budget now days away, it’s time for Anas Sarwar to come out of hiding and speak out against the Labour Chancellor’s plans for devastating austerity cuts before it’s too late.
“In the last few weeks, when senior Cabinet Ministers were writing to the Prime Minister to stop the Chancellor’s austerity agenda – Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour were missing in action.
“After all the big talk and big promises during the election – they have been silent since.
“The question for Anas Sarwar ahead of this UK budget is now simple.
“When it comes to cuts in winter fuel payments for pensioners, massive tax hikes for community businesses and austerity cuts to public services – which of these cuts and taxes are Scottish Labour MPs prepared to vote against?
“At the general election, Labour promised the people of Scotland ‘change’, an end to austerity cuts, and Anas Sarwar pledged to stand up to Keir Starmer and defend Scotland’s interests.
“Instead, Scottish Labour has so far defended and supported the UK government’s disgraceful decision to take away the winter fuel payment from around 900,000 Scottish pensioners, and thousands of Scottish children are being pushed into poverty as a direct result of Labour’s decision to continue imposing punitive welfare cuts, including the two-child limit, the benefit cap and the bedroom tax.
“It’s time for Scottish Labour to stop their silence and finally stand up for Scotland’s interests.
“That can only happen if Anas Sarwar comes out in opposition to the Chancellor’s austerity agenda.”
