Keir Starmer criticised for not scrapping two-child benefit cap in King's Speech

17 July 2024, 13:37 | Updated: 17 July 2024, 13:41

The Prime Minister has been criticised for not scrapping the two-child benefit cap in the latest King's Speech.

Proponents of abolishing the cap - including the Archbishop of Canterbury - have said it would lift millions of children out of poverty and alleviate suffering.

However, Keir Starmer has previously argued he would not commit extra money to benefits without first growing the economy. The issue has heaped pressure on the party with internal Labour voices calling to scrap the cap.

The King's Speech delivered earlier today focused heavily on turbocharging economic growth, a housebuilding blitz and nationalisation of the railways and energy.

It also planned stronger legislation for child protection with the Children's Wellbeing Bill.

However, Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, said Keir Starmer has "failed his first test in government".

The Scottish Greens have also described it as a "huge missed opportunity".

Mr Flynn said Keir Starmer has "failed his first test in government".

"This timid legislative programme is a missed opportunity that failed to deliver the change that people in Scotland were promised.

"People in Scotland voted for clear and substantial change at Westminster, and the Labour Government was handed a huge mandate to deliver it, so it's bitterly disappointing that they have thrown that opportunity away.

"While some of the small measures announced are welcome, they fail to deal with the major challenges facing the UK.

"There was no plan to eradicate child poverty, no plan to tackle the cost of living and no plan to end Tory austerity and boost NHS funding.

"And with no plan to reverse the damage of Brexit or properly invest in green energy - Starmer is restricting the potential for strong growth in the economy, wages and living standards.

He added: "For Scotland, there was no plan to deliver the maximum devolution that Labour promised during the independence referendum and, despite promising to abolish the House of Lords for more than a century, they are only planning to tinker around the edges.

"The SNP will work with the Labour Government, wherever possible, to deliver the best outcomes for Scotland - but where that change isn't forthcoming we will hold them to account."

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The Scottish Greens have also described it as a "huge missed opportunity for people and planet".

Speaking after the new Labour government shared their priorities for the year ahead, co-leader Lorna Slater MSP said: “Today’s speech represents business as usual for the UK government.

"There may be a new Labour prime minister, but Keir Starmer is clearly planning to continue with Tory economic and social policy that prioritises wealth and growth over the wellbeing of people and planet.

“Keir Starmer could have chosen to immediately lift hundreds of thousands of children and their families out of poverty by scrapping the two child benefit cap, but instead he’s relying on the myth of trickle down economics to put food on the table and pay people’s energy bills.”

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The Scottish Greens co-leader also highlighted the lack of action to tackle the climate emergency in the speech. Ms Slater said:

“Today was a golden opportunity for the new prime minister to lay out a bold and ambitious vision, and finally close the door on the last 14 years of Tory environmental vandalism.

“Instead it was lacking in any real announcements on the climate. We still don’t have any clarity on what Great British Energy is, or how it will decarbonise our energy system or drive down people’s bills. And a drive to develop more sustainable aviation fuel will not be enough to tackle the huge emissions from flying and the wider transport system. We should be taxing private jets and making low carbon rail travel more affordable instead.

“Repealing the Offshore Licensing Bill, revoking new licences for oil and gas, and legislating for a swift and just transition in the North Sea is what we urgently needed to see if we are to have any hope of preventing climate breakdown - but this level of climate ambition is clearly lacking from Starmer’s new government.

“We cannot afford more of the same, and nor can the world around us.

"Future generations will not forgive us if we stick to this kind of business as usual on the climate”