KEIR Starmer gave a keynote speech to the Scottish Labour conference on Sunday in which he announced £200 million in UK Government funding for Grangemouth – and took aim at “dangerous right-wing politics” from the likes of Nigel Farage and Reform UK.
After addressing the conference in Glasgow, the Prime Minister spoke to the Scottish media.
He sidestepped a question on Donald Trump’s calls for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, and a question on whether he would raise looming US tariffs on Scotch whisky with the president.
Starmer did say he would speak to Trump about Scotland, responded to the ongoing NHS Fife employment tribunal linked to nurse Sandie Peggie, and answered questions on Scottish Labour’s plummeting support in opinion polls and his pledge that GB Energy would cut people’s bills.
Here, The National is publishing the transcript of what was said in full. Starmer’s words are preceded by PM, while journalists’ questions are in large italics.
What Keir Starmer told the Scottish media, in full
It's a really important announcement for reasons that you all understand very, very well. Thank you all for being here.
On Grangemouth, the closure was announced last year. People have been told they're going to lose their jobs. Weeks ago, redundancy notices have been issued. Have you left it too late?
PM: Well, last year we were in opposition, so we obviously had to win the election, and then I was very mindful of the commitment I made going into the election about the importance of Grangemouth and that we would make sure we supported the brilliance of this industrial base in Scotland.
What I wanted to do was make sure that we took time to work up a credible proposal for the future. It's very easy to put proposals on the table that don't hold water.
What I want to do is take the time to do this properly, and that's why this is so important, working up the viable options here, because we're not talking about just, sort of something that tides people over, not something for the next three or four years, it's a generational opportunity for Grangemouth.
That took time, and that's the right thing to do. What matters to me is that we've got this opportunity now on the table. Very important because this is going to be a partnership with the private sector, and the way the National Wealth Fund works is that we work on the basis that we want to bring in three times the amount that the Government puts in.
So here there's £200 million on the table from the Government, that is to be a partnership with the private sector, and we're looking for three times that much coming from the private sector, that is a huge investment in Grangemouth. That is the future of Grangemouth, an important part of Scotland for generations to come, and I'm really pleased that we've got to this place.
You're going to Washington on Thursday, Prime Minister. Are you offering a state visit to President Trump – and should you allow him to speak in the Commons given he's suggesting ethnically cleansing Gaza?
But the centre of our discussions this week will obviously be the importance of the special relationship between us, and obviously the situation in Ukraine and other issues of common concern.
In terms of state visits, that's a matter for His Majesty the King. But I can guarantee that when I'm over there next week, as President Trump has done in every conversation I've had with him, he'll be talking about Scotland, as he always does. He's so fond of Scotland, as you know.
Obviously, Scottish Labour support has plummeted since you became Prime Minister. John Curtice says you’re the least liked politician in Scotland. Your budget gave the SNP a war chest. Is your unpopularity going to let the SNP back in next year? Is it going to be your fault if Scottish Labour lose the election next year?
We didn't lose our focus. We were absolutely clear what we're trying to achieve and we got on with it. We changed the Labour Party, won the election with Anas [Sarwar] and I working very closely together.
Since I've been in government, I've focused on delivering for the people of Scotland. I don’t get up and start rummaging around opinion polls or look at what punters are saying.
I've been working with Anas, particularly in the last few weeks because Anas and I've been very closely working on the Grangemouth announcement.
We've been focused on that. We've not even discussed the polls. We discussed and we made sure that the Grangemouth proposition is the very best it can possibly be for the future of Scotland.
That's what I’m going to carry on doing. I said I’d deliver for the people of Scotland. I think the announcement you've seen today answers how important Scotland is to me and my Government – and also demonstrates the strength of the relationship between the two of us [him and Sarwar].
I would say, just imagine what a difference it would make for Scotland if we had a Labour government in Scotland working with the Labour government in Westminster, not in conflict, not voting against the Budget that's actually lots of money to the Scottish Government to use, quite rightly, for the Scottish people, but actually working together.
So in 14 months, Scotch whisky is going to be hit with 25% US tariffs unless Donald Trump stops them. Will you raise that with him when you see him next week?
And the Scotch Whisky Association is saying that the definition of English single malt that's being considered by your Government is taking advantage of Scotch whisky's reputation. Do you accept that?
It is such an important part of the economy here, it's such an important part of what is Scotland – and therefore we will fight tooth and nail on that issue.
In relation to the English element here, look, there's a consultation going on. It's a consultation that has to happen under the operation of the legal framework that we're under – but my commitment is, as I say, absolutely to defend Scottish whisky here.
Prime Minister, you'll be aware of the Sandie Peggie employment tribunal and the wider ramifications of that. Should the First Minister be providing clarity on the provision of single-sex spaces?
And if the Supreme Court rules in favour of the Scottish Government, can you confirm that Labour will commit to clarifying the Equality Act 2010 so that a gender recognition certificate does not alter a person's sex for the purposes of the act?
PM: Look, I'm aware of the case. I'm not going to pretend I'm across all the details. I've been very focused, as you will probably have seen, on the question in Ukraine and the question in Grangemouth. I'm aware of it, but I don't know every twist and turn in the case.
Look, and I do believe the Government supports in safe spaces for women and the Equality Act and I think the Government should follow the law. I think that's straightforward.
Prime Minister, just before the election campaign you spoke to me and I asked you how much money people would save on their bills because of GB Energy and GB Energy alone. I'll just read you back what you said to me.
You said: ‘Oh, it would be hundreds of pounds. So, 4-500 pounds, but for good, and that is not just a temporary reduction, it is a permanent reduction.’
Do you stand by that specific delivery plan for £500 off people's bills for good because of GB Energy and GB Energy alone?
Because the reason they're going up and down, and they've gone through the roof in the last two or three years is because we're exposed to the international market, and when you've got a conflict like Ukraine going on, that international market has been fluctuating and caused huge pain to families and to businesses across Scotland who've seen their bills go through the roof.
So, what GB Energy will do as we drive towards renewables and that clean power mission by 2030, is to ensure that we are in charge of our own energy. That it is independent, so not on the international market, that means that the price is controlled. We have the stability of independence, so yes, lower bills and lower bills for good, not fluctuating on the international market.
That's why we've set such a stretching target of clean power by 2030 because that's the only way to ensure that families and businesses across Scotland get the stability that they deserve. Thank you very much.
