HUMZA Yousaf has said that a victory for the SNP in the upcoming Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election could force Labour to rethink their stance on the two-child benefit cap.
Keir Starmer has come under intense scrutiny ever since announcing his party would not be scrapping the policy.
The First Minister accused Labour of panicking after they failed to gain Boris Johnson’s former seat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Speaking to the SNP’s National Council in Perth, Yousaf (below) said: “Under Keir Starmer, it has become impossible to work out who – or what – Labour stand for, beyond obtaining power at all costs.
“He’ll stick with Brexit, even though it’s wrecking the economy and hurting living standards.
“He says there’s no money to pay for his green prosperity plan – but then a few days later he rules out asking the rich to pay more tax.
“His plans to scrap tuition fees have themselves been scrapped. And unbelievably, he will keep the cruellest Tory welfare policies – many of which, like the two-child cap, mainly affect working families who are struggling in the UK’s low-wage Brexit-based economy.”
Yousaf’s speech comes on the same day that Labour were slammed on both sides of the political spectrum after performing yet another U-turn.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted the party had “no plans for a wealth tax” – despite both her and Starmer previously advocating for it.
The First Minister continued: “Keir Starmer is making a political choice to keep tens of thousands of children in poverty.
“But in the upcoming by-election, people in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have a huge opportunity to force him to change course.
“As we saw with Labour’s defeat in Uxbridge, Keir Starmer is a politician that blows with the wind.
“A defeat for Labour there has caused him to panic and rethink his support for ULEZs. In Rutherglen and Hamilton West, people can force another U-turn – but this time, one that he would be right to make would be reversing his policy on keeping cruel Tory policies.”
Yousaf also spoke highly of the SNP’s candidate in the upcoming by-election Katy Loudon (below).
“The SNP has an excellent candidate – a former teacher with a track record of delivering for her community as a councillor”, he said.
“By voting for Katy and the SNP, people can protect the progress that has been made in Scotland.
“They can back a party which has been fighting for years to tackle the cost of living – from scrapping prescription charges and tuition fees, to giving free bus travel to under-22s, the Scottish Child Payment and much more.”
Yousaf continued: “And by backing the SNP, voters can also force Keir Starmer to rethink his plans to keep the Tory two-child cap and the abhorrent rape clause.
“An SNP victory here will be a clear message to the pro-Brexit, pro-austerity Labour Party that what they are offering is not good enough.
“Vote SNP for a fairer, better future Scotland – an independent Scotland.”
