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One Year On: Labour Proves Westminster Still Doesn’t Work for Scotland

A year ago today, many Scottish voters answered Labour’s call to vote the Conservatives out. They were promised change and a fairer society. 

But after 12 months in office, it is obvious that changing the guard at Westminster does nothing for Scotland.

Believe in Scotland founder Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp said: “Real change, the kind that puts Scotland first and improves the lives of those who live here, won’t come from swapping blue for red, or red for a new shade of blue. It will only come from independence.” 

Here are four key areas where Labour has set its course in a direction that is bad for Scotland.

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Calls for Wales to copy Scotland’s “powerful and effective” child poverty measures

The Scottish Parliament’s child poverty measures have seen a “parting of the ways” with England and Wales. Wales’ Bevan Foundation is calling for Wales to emulate what Scotland is doing as a powerful and effective way to lift children out of poverty. 

Scotland has seen a 12% drop in child poverty since introducing reduction targets into law in 2017, according to new research. There has been a reduction of 21,000 children living in relative poverty, while in the same period, England and Wales have seen a 15% rise, said the Big Issue.

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If Grangemouth was in England, would it be saved?

Westminster has stepped in to save a British steel plant from closure on grounds of national security. But they haven’t done the same for Grangemouth. Even Labour MP for Grangemouth Brian Leishman and many other MPs for the surrounding areas have said if Scunthorpe can be saved, so can the sole Scottish oil refinery. The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has also called for the Grangemouth refinery to be nationalised. 

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Child poverty now 35% higher in England than Scotland

UK figures released last week show that child poverty rates are now 35% higher in England than in Scotland.

Annual statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%. UK Poverty statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, levels of relative child poverty at 31% and absolute child poverty at 26%.

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