SNP have made a mess of Scotland's economy, says Starmer

Keir Starmer has accused the SNP of making a “mess” of Scotland’s economy as he rejected criticism over his decision to end the winter fuel payment.

The Prime Minister told STV News that he would take “no lectures” from the SNP on finances and said he had to cut pensioners’ benefits due to a £22bn black hole left over by the previous government.

First Minister John Swinney said he was forced to cut winter fuel payments in Scotland after Starmer’s decision in England and Wales led to the funding for the policy being scrapped.

The Scottish Government has urged the PM to reverse his decision and restore the roughly £160m in funding to Holyrood.

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‘The SNP is responsible for the financial mess in Scotland’

The SNP has accused Starmer of making cuts to public services as part of a new era of austerity but the Prime Minister said the Scottish Government has to take responsibility for its own choices.

“We inherited a £22bn black hole unaccounted for under the last government and we’ve got to take decisions accordingly,” he told STV News.

John Swinney said he was forced to cut winter fuel payments after the UK Government cut Holyrood budget. Scottish Government

“But I’m not really going to take lectures from the SNP about managing the economy after the mess they’ve made in Scotland and the responsibility they bear for the decisions they have taken.

“It’s all very well pointing fingers and blaming but actually the SNP is responsible for the financial mess in Scotland.

“They need to take responsibility for that and set out what they are going to do about it.”

SNP MSP David Torrance accused Starmer of continuing Tory austerity.

He said: “Keir Starmer has a brass neck to lecture the SNP on the state of the economy which has been devastated by 14 years of Westminster austerity and a hard Brexit – neither of which Scotland voted for – and both of which Labour are fully supporting now that they are in power.”

“Recent figures showed that Scotland’s economy is the top performing area in the UK outside London and the South East while earnings in Scotland grew faster than any other part of the UK last year.

“The SNP Scottish Government has made growing the economy one of its key priorities and will continue to do all it can with limited powers to boost economic growth.

“Keir Starmer’s Labour party would do well to do likewise rather than lecturing others.”

The Scottish Conservatives have claimed that pensioners could die this winter in Scotland due to the winter fuel payment cut.

Around 900,000 people are expected to miss out on the payment north of the border.

It comes as the Scottish and UK governments warn of more budget cuts later in the year.

Starmer rejects Labour MP’s call to nationalise Grangemouth

Earlier on Thursday, Labour MP Brian Leishman called on the UK Government to nationalise the Grangemouth oil refinery.

The Alloa and Grangemouth MP told STV News that a failure to do so would be letting the local community and the whole of Scotland down and warned his party of “sleepwalking into industrial devastation”.

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Grangemouth should be nationalised by UK Government, local MP says

Brian Leishman said what happened to miners four decades ago is now happening to workers at Scotland’s last oil refinery.

“I don’t accept that,” Starmer said. “We are absolutely focused on the transition that we need to clean power by 2030, Scotland plays a huge part in that, that’s the case we made at the election.

“We’ve got those Scottish MPs now and I intend to deliver on the promises we made on the economy, in terms of the next stage towards transition, and to make sure the good jobs of the future are in Scotalnd, hence GB Energy being based in Scotland as a sort of statement of intent if you like.”

Petroineos announced last week that Grangemouth will be closed in the second quarter of 2025 and will transition to a fuel import terminal, resulting in the loss of around 400 jobs.

Following the announcement, the Scottish and UK governments unveiled another £20m as part of a £100m funding package for the region.

Asked if that was enough, Starmer said: “Well, Grangemouth is obviously a cause for concern, and we’ve put in a good package that puts we’ve done that working obviously with others.

“We’ve tried to put the right deal in for the local community and those whose jobs are at risk but also I want to develop the future of Grangemouth as well.

So we’ll continue to work in that way. I do know how important it is.”