Labour will tackle scourge of in-work poverty, Sarwar pledges

Labour will tackle the “scourge” of low pay, Anas Sarwar vowed after his party’s analysis suggested in-work poverty increased by 48% while the Conservatives were in government.

The Scottish Labour leader said the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, which is set to be introduced to the Commons within 100 days, could be “game-changing” for the lowest paid workers.

The party’s analysis of official figures found the number of adults in employment considered to be in relative poverty increased 140,000 from 2009-12 to 2020-23.

In 2009-12, the figure was 290,000 people in paid work, but it increased to 430,000 in the latest three-year period – an increase of 48%.

Relative poverty rates across all adults in Scotland, including those who were unemployed, increased 26% in the same time period, from 570,000 in 2009-12 to 720,000 in 2020-23.

Sarwar said the Prime Minister’s plans to tackle in-work poverty include banning zero-hour contracts, ending fire and rehire, and improving sick pay.

He said: “The disastrous Tory government pushed thousands of Scots into poverty and built a dysfunctional low-pay economy.

“Poverty soared as a result of 14 years of economic chaos with the Tories and 17 years of managed decline with the SNP – but Labour will deliver change.

“Labour’s transformative plans represent the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation – they will fundamentally reset our economy and make it work for working people.

“By ending the scourge of insecure work and low pay, we can address poverty at its root.

“These game-changing plans will tackle spiralling levels of in-work poverty and deliver a pay rise of up to 200,000 of the lowest paid workers in Scotland.”

Scottish Tory social security spokesman Miles Briggs said: “The impact of the global cost-of-living crisis, sparked by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, coupled with the cost implications of the huge financial support offered by the UK Government during the pandemic, inevitably hit family budgets across the UK.

“But the UK Conservative Government, having navigated those challenges, then delivered two national insurance cuts to help workers across the UK. In contrast, the SNP has increased the burden on working Scots by making us the highest taxed part of the UK, with a number of rises supported by Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour.

“The SNP, despite record block grants from Westminster and assuming control of a number of benefits, have failed to tackle poverty in Scotland during their 17 years in charge – as the ongoing attainment gap and housing crisis demonstrate.

“Labour’s commitment to tackling poverty would carry more credibility if they hadn’t just broken an election pledge by ditching the universal winter fuel payment.”