The Prime Minister told the Sunday Mail he is ‘determined to work for Scotland’ on combating poverty and the cost of living.
Keir Starmer says scrapping the two-child cap in last week’s Budget will benefit 95,000 Scots kids as he marks St Andrew’s Day. The Prime Minister told the Sunday Mail he is “determined to work for Scotland” on combating poverty and the cost of living, energy, jobs and boosting whisky and salmon exports.
It comes as his Chancellor Rachel Reeves last week finally axed the two-child benefit cap for families – a move long called for child poverty campaigners as well as Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar. Starmer said: “On St Andrew’s Day, we celebrate the people, culture and heritage of Scotland.
“Last week I held the first reception at Downing Street in ten years to mark St Andrew’s Day. It was fantastic to host Scottish businesses, food producers, apprentices and some of the crew of HMS Vanguard.
“I told those gathered I was determined to work for Scotland. That’s what we are getting on with doing: helping Scottish families at the Budget with the cost of living, providing long term certainty to the oil and gas industry in the North Sea, delivering high skilled jobs and investing in Scotland’s public services.
“Combatting child poverty by scrapping the two-child benefit cap will benefit 95,000 children in Scotland. Through our trade deal with India we have opened up Scotland’s salmon and whisky industries to the fastest growing economy in the world.
“More jobs are being created in Scottish shipbuilding and defence as we build more frigates on the Clyde. These aren’t piecemeal policies.
“They are united by a common strand of supporting families in Scotland – helping them with the cost of living, providing good jobs in local areas and setting the conditions for businesses to thrive so we can build a stronger, more prosperous Scotland.”
Attendees at Starmer’s St Andrew’s Day Reception at Downing Street on Monday included Scots musician Edwyn Collins – frontman of Orange Juice, one of the PM’s favourite bands – and Mr Singh, the owner of Mister Singh’s Indian Restaurant in Glasgow.
The curry house’s Tikka Salmon is one of Starmer’s favourite dishes
