KEIR Starmer has been told he must “share some of the culpability” for the state of the UK ahead of a major speech in which he will warn that “things will get worse before they get better”.
The Prime Minister will address the nation from Downing Street on Tuesday and provide gloomy mood music ahead of more expected bad news in the Budget later this year.
He is set to claim Labour had inherited a “societal black hole” in a bid to tee up more “unpopular decisions”.
Starmer’s speech will outline priority areas the Government will focus on in the coming months, including building new homes, improving workers’ rights, cracking down on immigration and crime, public transport reforms, and education.
But the SNP have argued that Labour cannot distance themselves from the “mess” left by the Tories.
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown (above) said: “The Tory government have left behind an incredible mess – but Labour must share some of the culpability for the situation the UK now finds itself in.
“Keir Starmer cannot just wipe away the fact that, during the long years of Tory rule, Labour refused to stand up to them on some of the most damaging policies.
“The Labour Party were signed up to the austerity agenda, they backed attacks on the welfare state, and they are refusing to reverse Brexit.
“Governing is about choices, and be in no doubt: the programme of austerity measures set to be announced today is a choice – one which the SNP has been warning about since before the election.”
During the election campaign, Labour repeatedly dismissed expert warnings about the state of the economy as SNP spin – despite top think tanks like the Institute for Fiscal Studies pointing out flaws in Labour’s offering to voters.
The party were repeatedly challenged on whether they would need to cut public spending, hike taxes or increase borrowing as a way of controlling spending.
Labour argued that economic growth was the answer to the ailing UK economy and public sector but despite recent modest growth, the party has already announced spending cuts since coming to power – and hinted at a range of tax increases.
Alba blasted the Prime Minister, saying his programme was “focused almost entirely on English priorities and the hangover of the Tory obsession with borders”.
Chris McEleny (above), Alba's general secretary, said: “Labour promised change and that within days of being elected they would launch GB Energy that would result in a ‘mind blowing’ reduction in bills.
“But instead prices are going up. The cost of energy, goods and the cost of living is the priority for every household in the land, but Starmer’s Labour UK Government doesn’t even give these matters a mention in his vision for government.
“Scotland is sending billions to the Treasury in North Sea revenues and billions more will flow to the Treasury from electricity companies thanks to Scotland’s renewables but Scots are seeing no benefit whatsoever.
“It is clear that Starmer and Labour won’t bring any change to Scotland. His Government will oversee a Parliament for England, not for Scotland.”
