7 hours Ago By [email protected] (Chris McCall)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Anas Sarwar has been accused of "failing to engage" with the UK Government ahead of the Budget which confirmed the Winter Fuel Payment would become means-tested.
A Freedom of Information request by the SNP found Rachel Reeves held no formal meetings with MSPs since Labour was returned to power at the general election in July. But the Chancellor did host what was described as an "introductory call" with Labour MSPs Daniel Johnson and Michael Marra . SNP MSP Michelle Thomson claimed the lack of meetings with Holyrood members showed the Scottish Labour leader had "made no effort to engage with his own colleague who is responsible for the UK's public finances".
It comes after Sarwar announced his party would reverse the cut to the Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland if he becomes First Minister in 2026. Thomson said: "Anas Sarwar's abject failure to engage with the Labour Chancellor - and vice versa - shows how feeble the Labour Party's branch office in Scotland really is. "At a time when thousands of Scots are suffering because of Labour policies like the Winter Fuel Payment cut, two child cap and Brexit, it's astonishing that Mr Sarwar has made no effort to engage with his own colleague who is responsible for the UK's public finances.
"The leader of the Labour Party in Scotland has questions to answer, and should explain why he feels that meeting to discuss these issues would be beyond the scope of his role. "There is a myriad of issues which he should be raising, but the absence of any effort to do so is a dereliction of duty and will make voters rightly ask: what is the point of Scottish Labour?" Jackie Baillie said: "Scottish Labour's MPs are at the heart of the UK government delivering for the people of Scotland. "The recent UK Labour Budget included a record settlement for Scotland with an additional £1.
5 billion this financial year and an additional £3.4billion next year — but it's up to this SNP government to spend it wisely." To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
