Starmer promises to deliver for Scotland as he begins tour of devolved nations
Sir Keir Starmer said his Labour government would serve “the entirety of Scotland” as he began a tour of the UK.
The Prime Minister said he was seeking an “immediate reset” of the relationship between the Westminster Government and devolved nations as he prepared for talks with leaders in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Speaking in Edinburgh, Sir Keir said the 37 Labour MPs elected in Scotland would “bring about the change” that people wanted.
Appearing alongside Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Sir Keir said: “We have this team to be part of a government, sitting on the government benches, all working to deliver for Scotland.
“This team here, the whole of the Labour Party in government and myself, delivering for Scotland.”
He added: “We govern humbly, saying thank you to every single person in Scotland who put their trust and faith in the Labour Party to bring about the change that they need.”
He added: “To those people who didn’t vote Labour, I want to directly address you too because we will serve the entirety of Scotland, we’ll serve every single person in Scotland because that change matters to everyone and that is how we go forward.”
Co-operation
Ahead of his trip, Sir Keir said he wants to “turn disagreement into co-operation” with the SNP administration in Scotland.
Sir Keir’s whistlestop tour of the UK comes ahead of a packed first full week in office, with little time to settle in at Number 10 as he prepares to head to the Nato summit in Washington on Tuesday.
Sir Keir, who had talks with First Minister John Swinney in Edinburgh on Sunday, said: “Our UK Government will place Scotland back at the beating heart of everything we do.
“To the people of Scotland, my message is simple and clear: You are at the heart of how we unleash prosperity across the country. We will rebuild a strong Scotland at the forefront of our decade of national renewal.
“My offer to the Scottish Government is the same. We can turn disagreement into co-operation and, through meaningful co-operation and a genuine seat at the table, deliver change for a generation.”
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Why would Scotland want a seat at England’s table Sir Keir? Are the Scots not worthy of their own seat? I read his words as deeply patronising. Perhaps he genuinely means it in good faith, but I won’t hold my breath. He’s already made it clear before the election he just won that if he became PM there would be no possibility of a referendum for Scotland to choose their own path post-Brexit. ‘We must support the independence of Ukraine, Palestine must be afforded the right to become a state, but Scotland, please remember your place, in England’s shadow.’
At least Scotland have something. Jo Stevens, the token cabernet member from Wales, not even a Jr minister. Westminster, just not interested in Wales, even after making it a Tory free zone.
What does Labour PM Keir Starmer actually mean when he says deliver? He’s already stated Wales will not get HS2 consequential which means billions due that’s rightfully ours will now go into England’s coffers to be spent on some other bloody hair brained anglocentric vanity project with the lame excuse how it’ll be “beneficial” to Britain. What Wales needs is meat on the bones assurances that powers requested by past & present Welsh Governments over Policing, Criminal & Youth Justice and other levers be repatriated to our Senedd Cymru. No ifs or buts. Resolve and devolve!
Can’t understand why so few people in Wales vote for Plaid. Something serious must be putting them off.
Quite right, it’s 800 years of domination and subjection. It’s perfectly understandable and it will take a massive leap of courage but, Cymru is the country to do just that.
800 years? So we just ignoring the Crowing of Owain Glyndwr and the British victory at Bosworth field? A most splendid and Disastrous victory for the British.
That mindset explains why Plaid is stuck and getting nowhere.
Translation – Take from Wales with his Right hand and give to Scotland with his left.