A Labour government at Westminster would “buy, make and sell more in Scotland”, Labour’s new shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said.
Ahead of her first visit to Scotland since taking up the role, Reeves said a Labour government would revive the Scottish economy by awarding more public contacts to UK businesses.
Labour’s analysis of public contracts awarded by the Scottish Government suggests just £103 million, or eight per cent of £1.2 billion is given to small or medium Scottish businesses.
Before her trip to a manufacturing site in Renfrewshire alongside Anas Sarwar, Reeves turned fire on the SNP government.
She said: “For too long, the people of Scotland have not had a government fighting to deliver jobs and growth in the country.”
“Over 121,000 Scots are unemployed, thousands of jobs in renewable energy have been lost and the country’s manufacturing base has been hollowed out. "
“As we recover from the pandemic, we have a chance to seize new opportunities and shape a new future for Scotland and the rest of Britain.”
Reeves said that as well a plan to buy, make and sell more in Scotland and the rest of Britain Labour would ensure people had skills for the jobs of the future.
She said: “From green jobs in manufacturing electric vehicles and offshore wind turbines, to fin tech, digital media and film – we must grow modern industries to build a long-term economy that provides good jobs and is built for the future.”
Labour has set out plans to use social and environmental clauses in public contracts to raise standards, similar to the approach of countries such as France and the United States.
The party would also call for every public body to award more contracts to British firms, and require public bodies to report on how much they are buying from businesses in this country.
