Labour has been told to get on the “front foot” on proposing more powers for Holyrood amid fears the party is going soft on the next stage of devolution. STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said Labour should provide “more detail” of their offer to Scots and urged the party to be clearer.
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer told the Record last year new powers for Holyrood would be an early priority for his Labour Government. However, despite the publication of the Gordon Brown report on federalism, no list of powers has been proposed yet.
Senior party figures said they believe the issue has been put on the back burner and is deemed a priority Foyer said: “In terms of how far they've got with their offer on devolution, I certainly think that we could do with more detail and a strengthening of the agenda.
“I think the STC would want to see more devolution of employment law, we'd like to see a range of fiscal powers being devolved, we'd like to see immigration being devolved. So I think there's definitely room and a real need for Labour to start to articulate that, and to lay out for us what they're going to do on devolution should they get back into power at a UK level.
She added: “I think that will become a critical debate and I'd like to see Labour more on the front foot when it comes to that debate. I think it would be a very astute move for Labour to start to articulate that agenda more clearly in this particular period.”
It is understood Labour’s plan is to “raise the floor” on employment rights through policies such as abolishing zero hour contracts and scrapping fire and rehire practices. Phase two would look at devolving employment powers to Holyrood, with the UK-wide legislation acting as a bare minimum.
Foyer welcomed opinion polls showing a big Labour lead over the Tories, but called on Starmer to be ambitious. "I would certainly ask them to be as courageous as possible in the changing the direction of our economy.
"I'm not going to comment on the tactics of the leader of the UK Labour Party in terms of what they think they need to do to win that election, but I think it would be a mistake not to be absolutely showing that you're on the side of ordinary working people right now."
She said of his opposition to Labour colleagues joining picket lines: "I think it was a mistake."
SNP MSP Colette Stevenson said: “The fact is Labour stands shoulder to shoulder with the Tories in denying the right of people in Scotland to choose their own future.
“Labour continues to support Westminster control over Scotland which enables the Tories to attack the democratically elected Scottish Parliament and its ability to protect working people.
"With Independence Scotland will have full powers to build a fairer future - and escape Tory governments that people in Scotland don’t vote for, for good."
Scottish Labour Constitution spokesperson Neil Bibby said: “Labour is the party of devolution and in government we will deliver the biggest ever transfer of power from Westminster to people.
“Just last year Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar welcomed the report of Gordon Brown’s Commission on the UK’s future.
”Our transformative plans will push power out into communities right across the UK and end years of centralisation under both the SNP and the Tories.
“Only Labour are fighting for a stronger Scotland within a renewed and reformed UK.”
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