Labour election win would give people in Scotland hope – Sir Keir Starmer

A Labour government at Westminster would give people in Scotland hope for the future, party leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.

On Friday, Sir Keir is set to join Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to launch the party’s General Election campaign.

Sir Keir claimed Scotland has been failed by both the SNP Scottish Government and the Conservative UK Government, and that people are less likely to believe politics makes a difference as a result.

He also said a Labour government will “bring down energy bills for good”, as Ofgem said on Thursday bills will be £1,574 per year for a typical household on a default tariff from the start of July, meaning the average family will pay around £400 per annum more than a few years ago.

Ahead of his visit, Mr Starmer said: “After 14 years of Tory chaos, people across Scotland are desperate for change.

“Families are picking up the tab of 14 years of Tory energy failure and are expected to remain a staggering £400 a year worse off under the new price cap.

“We can’t just send a message in this election, we must send a government – but we can only do that if we rebuild trust and chart a new course for the country.

“The Labour Party is humbly asking for the opportunity to change the country. To serve the entire country. To be clear, there is no national renewal without a strong Scotland. There is no Labour without Scotland. There is no changed Britain without Scotland”.

He added: “A Labour government will take Scotland in a different direction and give people hope for the future. Labour will stop families paying over the odds for energy.

“Great British Energy, our new publicly-owned energy company, will invest in homegrown clean energy to boost energy independence and cut bills for good.

“When I say let’s get Britain’s future back, we say it with one voice. Scotland is at the beating heart of that mission.

“It’s time to stop the chaos, turn the page and start to rebuild with Labour.”

Mr Sarwar said Scotland is “crying out for change”, stating the SNP’s 17-year rule has been a “failure” and the Conservatives’ 14 years in power has been “chaos”.

Mr Sarwar said: “A UK Labour government with Scottish Labour MPs will boot the Tories out of office, maximise Scotland’s influence, bring down bills, make work pay and deliver the change that Scotland needs.”

SNP MP Alison Thewliss said the Labour Party “has signed up to Tory austerity”, is “openly threatening NHS privatisation” and has “serious” questions to answer on Scotland’s energy.

She said: “Only in the last few weeks, expert reports have exposed Labour’s energy plans will cost 100,000 Scottish jobs and are a direct threat to the green energy transition.

“The truth is that Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party have the exact same energy policy as every Westminster party for the past five decades – the only thing they are really interested in is how many billions make their way back down the road to the UK Treasury.

“In stark contrast, a vote for the SNP will put Scotland first and every SNP MP will work to put energy powers back in the hands of Scottish people where they belong, and protect our NHS and economy from Westminster parties who have no interest in Scotland’s priorities”.

The UK Conservative Party was contacted for comment.