ANAS Sarwar failed to raise Labour’s cruel welfare cuts with Chancellor Rachel Reeves after they were announced, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
On March 26, the Chancellor delivered her Spring Statement and announced a £5 billion package of welfare cuts, with a huge number of people now set to be denied the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Charities and health experts have since warned the cuts could risk lives, as the UK Government's own analysis indicates that an extra 250,000 people could be living in relative poverty by 2029-30 as a result – including 50,000 children.
But an FOI submitted by the SNP, which asked for any correspondence to Reeves from Sarwar and his frontbench spokesperson Paul O’Kane between March 1 and April 15 this year, received this response: “We can confirm that the HM Treasury does not hold information within the scope of your request.”
Scores of Labour politicians have made clear their opposition to the plans over the past few months, including Manchester mayor Andy Burnham who has said "it feels like the wrong choice".
Scottish Labour leader Sarwar, meanwhile, has defended the cuts publicly, saying the impact assessment only considered the benefits changes, not a "package of measures" announced by the UK Government which could help tackle poverty.
SNP MSP Collette Stevenson said the FOI revealed that Sarwar “will always stand up for the Prime Minister rather than stand up for vulnerable households in Scotland”.
She added: “From adopting harmful Tory policies to copying Tory austerity, the priorities and values of this Labour Party are completely out of sync with those of the people of Scotland.
“However, it seems that Scottish Labour are on the same page as their Westminster bosses; content to stay silent while hundreds of thousands of families have critical support taken away by Rachel Reeves (above).
“Yet again, Anas Sarwar has shown he will always stand up for the Prime Minister rather than stand up for vulnerable households in Scotland.
“The SNP is taking action to ensure that Scotland remains the only party in the UK where rates of child poverty are falling, including providing support through the Scottish Child Payment and working towards abolishing Labour’s two-child cap.
“But Labour’s choices at Westminster are holding back Scotland’s progress, and senior figures in Scottish Labour have nothing to say about it.
“While Anas Sarwar looks for his missing backbone, the SNP is putting Scotland first - and standing up to the cruel policies of the UK Labour Government."
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.
