Sarwar calls for Starmer to end 'cruel' child benefit cap

Scottish Labour leader says Tory policy needs to be reversed’

- JOE MIDDLETON

The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said that the twochild benefit cap implemented by the previous Conservative government is “wrong”, and has urged Sir Keir Starmer’s government to scrap it.

Mr Sarwar said that ditching the cap, which has been described by campaigners as “cruel”, would depend on being able to grow the economy. However, he insisted that his party would be “pushing at an open door” for the abolition of the policy, which was introduced by George Osborne in 2017 with the effect that child tax credits and universal credit are paid only in respect of the first two children in most households.

Neither the Conservatives nor Labour have made a manifesto commitment to scrapping the cap. Sir Keir said it was a “tough decision” not to promise to scrap it, but that he would not make “unfunded promises”.