‘Kicking out’ Tories is only the first step of change, union chief tells Labour

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, wants a future Labour government to alter the balance of power in the economy.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer says kicking the Tories out of power is only the first step for Labour (Andrew Milligan/PA)

A Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer needs to fundamentally change the country’s economy for the benefit of working people, a senior trade unionist has claimed.

Roz Foyer, the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) said “kicking the Tories out of power” and Downing Street is only the first step in the change required.

She said the next step will be ensuring a future Labour government “fundamentally alters the balance of power in our economy”.

She made the plea as she claimed “brutal Tory austerity” together with “short sighted” decisions by the Scottish Government had “ripped the resources out of our communities”.

The STUC last year put forward a paper which set out how short and long-term changes to taxes in Scotland could raise more than £3.7 billion extra funding a year, and Ms Foyer urged Scottish Labour to back those proposals.

Speaking ahead of an address to the Scottish Labour Party conference in Glasgow on Friday, Ms Foyer said: “Any party of Labour – UK, Scottish or otherwise – must be unequivocally on the side of working people and build our public services back to a level worthy of our public sector workers.

“Kicking the Tories out of power is the first step. The next is ensuring any incoming Labour government fundamentally alters the balance of power in our economy.

“Scottish Labour can help. They can back our tax proposals, hold the Scottish Government to account and ensure we build a progressive Scotland where wealth is shared.

“It shouldn’t be radical to suggest those who earn the most should invest the most into the public services we all rely on.

“Working people deserve both UK and Scottish Labour, whether in government or not, to be on the side of our public services and on the side of progressive taxation to fund them.”