Anas Sarwar must not 'stay silent' on two-child benefit cap
The Scottish Labour leader was told to listen to calls from Save the Children that the UK Government should take urgent action.
The charity warned that 20,000 children are at risk of being dragged further into poverty without action from UK ministers.
The two-child benefit cap prevents parents from claiming child benefit or universal credit for more than two children. It was introduced by the Tories in 2017.
READ MORE: Is the UK Government going to 'scrap the two-child benefit cap'?
Labour was previously opposed to the policy, but after taking power in Number 10, Starmer removed the whip from seven MPs who voted against the policy in an SNP amendment to the King's Speech.
The Scottish Government is currently mitigating the Westminster policy, with First Minister John Swinney promising those impacted they will receive payments by April next year.
Reports suggest Starmer 'privately' wants to axe the two-child benefit cap, but Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner refused to confirm the move in media interviews.
(Image: Justin Tallis/PA Wire) It comes as Starmer's child poverty strategy has been delayed until the autumn, after it was due to originally be published in spring.
Save the Children said they were 'disappointed' by the delay.
'Keir Starmer must take action to make sure the strategy scraps the cruel two-child limit policy in full at the Autumn Budget, and the Comprehensive Spending Review in June must be a start in helping families struggling most with the cost of living,' the charity said on social media.
The SNP said Starmer's 'vague words' were not good enough.
SNP MSP George Adam said: 'It's not enough for Keir Starmer to mutter that he might want to scrap the two-child cap. And it's not enough for Anas Sarwar to stay silent.
READ MORE: MSPs express 'deep concern' over Scottish Parliament trans toilet ban
'Sarwar must stand up to Starmer and demand a firm commitment to abolish the cap, or be seen as complicit in keeping thousands of Scottish children in poverty.
'Every day Labour stalls, more families fall deeper into hardship.
'The SNP has been clear and consistent in calling for the cap to be scrapped, and in government we are doing all we can to choose a different path, through policies like the Scottish Child Payment, free school meals expansion, and a social security system built on dignity and respect.
'Labour says it wants to tackle poverty, now is the time to prove it. No more delays. No more vague soundbites.
'The question is simple, will Starmer scrap the cap, yes or no?'
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.
Previously, Sarwar was panned by the SNP for his "silence" after the Welsh First Minister took a stand against Starmer.
It comes as Nigel Farage's Reform UK is reportedly set to commit to scrapping the two-child benefit cap as well as restoring the Winter Fuel Payment to all pensioners. Farage is expected to make the announcement in a speech next week, in a bid to appeal to leftwing voters, and attempt to outflank Labour.
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