Will Starmer’s man in Scotland stand up for our workers?
by Labour has long resisted calls from across Scotland to devolve employment powers, leaving countless Scots at the mercy of cruel Westminster policies.
The SNP is once again calling for these powers to be devolved, after figures revealed that 109,000 people in Scotland are currently employed on “exploitative” zero-hour contracts.
The Scottish Parliament is more ambitious on policy and more efficient at delivery than Westminster – so why won’t Starmer admit the devolution works well for Scots, and should be enhanced?
By refusing to countenance the notion that Holyrood could succeed where Westminster has failed, he shows a profound lack of understanding about Scottish politics and the needs of people throughout Scotland.
“Keir Starmer’s refusal to devolve employment laws to Holyrood betrays the needs of Scotland’s workers.”@StephenFlynnSNP https://t.co/AXucfyDr6A
— Andrew Ward (@AndrewWard96) August 28, 2023
I recognise that hoarding these powers at Westminster is actively damaging our economy, our jobs market and people’s life chances.
I’ve challenged my Labour opponent to stand up for Scotland’s workers by calling for his boss down south to devolve employment powers.
But having bent to Keir Starmer’s will at every opportunity, it’s doubtful he’ll do the right thing.
If Michael Shanks is serious about standing up for the people and workers in Rutherglen and Hamilton West then he will demand that his Westminster boss devolve employment powers to Scotland.
With employment laws at Holyrood, rather than Westminster, the SNP Scottish Government can do the right thing by banning draconian zero-hour contracts and ensuring employment protection rights apply equally to all – something that both successive Labour and Conservative governments have failed to do.
The pro-Brexit Labour party have said they will ban zero-hour contracts – but they have also already watered down their pledge to strengthen workers rights, as well as u-turned on pledges to scrap tuition fees, abolish the two-child cap and rape clause, and bring in free school meals.
🥀 Labour’s support for the Tories’ cruel and callous two-child cap and rape clause is pushing families into poverty.
🏴 Only the SNP are fighting to scrap the cap and lift over 90,000 children out of poverty.
👉 Read more here: https://t.co/eQ2PDKIaVd pic.twitter.com/FvoxKjGCEW
— The SNP (@theSNP) August 25, 2023
Keir Starmer is a politician who bends in the wind with his pledges not worth the paper they’re written on – and his man in Rutherglen is no better, having flip-flopped on Brexit and failed to stand up to his Westminster boss on the Tory austerity policies his Labour party now back.
How long will it be before this pledge is abandoned too?
Voting SNP in Rutherglen and Hamilton West is a vote to strengthen workers’ rights and truly reject Tory and Labour policies, which are now one and the same.