Jackie Baillie insists Scottish Labour remains 'completely opposed' to the two child benefit cap

Keir Starmer says he will not scrap ‘heinous’ policy

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader says her party remains “completely opposed” to the two child benefit cap, despite the UK Labour Party saying they would not scrap the policy if they were in charge.

UK Labour has come under intense criticism in the past few days after Sir Keir Starmer said it was not party policy to overturn the to child benefit cap introduced by former Conservative chancellor George Osbourne in 2015.

This cap, also known as the “rape clause”, stops families from applying for child tax credit and Universal Credit for more than two children, although an exemption exists if a child is conceived through rape.

Dame Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party. Image: Fraser Bremner/Getty Images.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar had said he supported Sir Keir, saying he doesn’t want his party to repeat the financial mismanagement of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng.

However he has since said he continues to oppose the policy and insists he will press Sir Keir to scrap this if Labour win the next general election.

Now Dame Jackie Baillie says Scottish Labour remains opposed to the policy, adding she is convinced this will be a UK Labour priority too once they have a clear understanding of the financial position they will inherit.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Dame Jackie said: “Scottish Labour’s position has not changed, we remain completely opposed to the two child benefit cap.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Image: Jane Barlow/Press Association.

“We know it damages families and exacerbates poverty.

“My understanding of what Keir Starmer is saying is he is worried about the financial mess we will inherit from the Tories, and there is a recognition amongst responsible politicians that we will not be able to do everything immediately.

“Keir Starmer doesn’t want to make pledges he cannot deliver on, and that is really important.”

She then said the SNP in Holyrood could have used the £250 million overspend on two overdue CalMac ferries currently being built at Ferguson Marine shipyard to pay for scrapping the policy north of the border.

The Dumbarton MSP added: “We will convince colleagues in UK Labour to scrap the two child benefit cap, but we need to make sure we have enough money to do it and sustain it.

“We cannot escape the fact we are inheriting an economic mess which has exacerbated the cost-of-living crisis.

“This remains a priority for Scottish Labour and I am convinced once we understand the financial position, it will be a priority for the UK Labour Party too.”

The announcement from UK Labour has been slammed by the SNP, who have used it to further their calls for Scottish independence.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said: “Anas Sarwar appears to have brass on his neck, trying to con the people of Scotland into believing he is against the policy when yesterday he said he backs the position.

“The reality is there is a Labour diktat to the Scottish Labour leader to show support for this ridiculous and heinous policy, and Anas Sarwar has followed suit.”

He argued UK Labour would only need to spend around 1 per cent of its social security budget to do this.

Mr Flynn said: “This is about lifting kids out of poverty and if Labour don’t want to do that, then what is the point in them?”