Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar and the Welsh first minister, Eluned Morgan, both face humiliating defeat in next year’s elections, according to polling
Labour leaders in Edinburgh and Cardiff sought credit for the most progressive measures in Rachel Reeves’ budget on Wednesday, pinning their hopes for next year’s critical elections on a package that increases funding for Scotland and Wales by nearly £2bn.
That funding boost and the abolition of the two-child limit for universal credit recipients were seen as a relief in both capitals. Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said: “I demanded a Labour budget rooted in Labour values and that is what the chancellor has delivered. This budget means child poverty down, energy bills down, wages up and austerity rejected.”
The Welsh first minister, Labour’s Eluned Morgan, said: “This is a budget which will help people across Wales. It will mean more money in the pocket of people who need it the most.
“We called on the UK government to continue to support us with more money for hard-pressed public services and they have delivered.”
