Scotland's top trade unionist lashes out at Keir Starmer's Labour's 'broken promises'

Scotland’s top trade unionist has laid into the Labour UK government for a failure to deliver on promises of change - warning that a refusal to lift the controversial benefit cap risks a “further explosion in poverty”.

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, told delegates at her organisation’s annual congress in Dundee that Scots “voted for change”, adding: “We now expect action.”

Sir Keir Starmer with Anas Sarwar (left) after delivering his keynote speech at the Scottish Labour Party conference in Glasgow. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire | Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Ms Foyer delivered her keynote speech after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and First Minister John Swinney addressed delegates in Dundee - with the response to both leaders “muted”, according to Scotland’s top trade unionist.

In an apparent dig at the Labour UK government, Ms Foyer said that “promises of fairer pay, improved working rights, lower energy bills and better public services must become our reality and fast”.

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She added: “Scotland’s people can’t afford more of the same. We’ve had enough of timid and tired government. We’re fed up with broken promises.

“We need to see the improved living standards that working people across Scotland deserve and that needs to happen now. We need to see more movement on Labour’s pledges to make work pay and invest in our public services.”

Ms Foyer acknowledged that “Labour’s minimum wage rises and honouring of public sector pay recommendations are welcome”, but she warned that “hard-working members are still playing wage catch-up with any pay rises being lost in a sea of rising household bills”.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer | Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

She also pointed to “years of under-investment from the Scottish Government”.

Ms Foyer said: “We need both our governments to bring forward a positive vision for Scotland’s public services, not short-term fixes offered by the profiteers.

“Our governments have allowed far too many key services to be reduced to a commercial enterprise for the rich to get richer at our expense.”

She told delegates that should include government “taking greater control over our key industries” and “taking stakes in new infrastructure projects whenever public money is used”.

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Ms Foyer said: “It means growing public ownership of our energy systems and it means doing whatever it takes to make energy bills more affordable, right now, for ordinary working people.”

She told trade unionists that the UK Labour government risks exacerbating poverty with a refusal to change course in lifting the two-child benefit cap. The Scottish Government is pushing forward plans to mitigate the policy itself and hopes to start payments in the next financial year.

Mr Foyer said: “It is inexplicable how any politician, let alone those of a UK Labour government, would continue to keep the two-child cap in place and sleep easily at night.

“They have got to change course if we are to avoid an even further explosion in poverty in the coming years.”

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Ms Foyer also criticised the Labour UK government for its support for the Israeli government’s war in Palestine.

She pointed to “the need to stand strong with the people of Palestine” and “work for a lasting peace”.

Mr Foyer said: “The inaction of the UK government in the face of Israel’s sustained genocidal war against the Palestinian people is utterly, utterly shameful.”

She added that “the change in international and economic circumstances don't justify slashing international aid budgets or taking benefits from our disabled people” in another dig at the Labour government.