My family will pay living wage under Labour plans – Sarwar

Anas Sarwar has said that all businesses, including his family’s company, will have to pay a “genuine living wage” under Labour plans.

The Scottish Labour leader told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show that his family’s wholesale business – which he has no involvement in – does not pay the real living wage to all its staff.

Mr Sarwar said progress in pay had been made in negotiations with the Usdaw trade union, resulting in significant increases in wages, but he conceded not all employees received the real living wage rate set by the Living Wage Foundation.

The SNP called it a “shocking admission”.

Labour’s call for a new deal for workers also proposes a ban on zero-hours contracts. Mr Sarwar denied the plans would lead to difficult costs for businesses and insisted they would benefit the economy.