KEIR Starmer’s newfound support for draconian Tory welfare policies was dealt a stinging blow by SNP staffers – in the form of a mug.
Members of Stephen Flynn’s team delivered mugs to lobby hacks in the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday morning ahead of the SNP Westminster leader’s final showdown against the Prime Minister before the summer break.
The mug was filled with a piece of official stationery from Flynn’s office reading: “The Labour Party has a new range of mugs in production. They’re made in China – just like Sir Keir Starmer’s latest policy…”
The mug itself bears a resemblance to a notorious piece of campaign paraphernalia from Ed Miliband’s doomed attempt to become prime minister, when the Labour Party produced mugs emblazoned with the slogan: “Controls on immigration.”
SNP are handing out mugs in Westminster today comparing Keir Starmer’s stance on the two-child benefit cap to China’s one-child policy 😬 pic.twitter.com/MA6VBNwYxm
— Hamish Morrison (@HMorrison97) July 19, 2023
The SNP mocked this slogan by comparing Starmer’s support for the two-child benefit cap – hated by many within his own party – to China’s infamous one-child policy, which restricted the family sizes of swathes of the population.
“Controls on family sizes,” read the SNP’s attack chinaware, adding: “What’s the point of Labour?”
Starmer sparked fury and shock among his opponents outwith and within Labour when he announced on Sunday the party now supported the Tory welfare cap, which new research on Wednesday found that 30,000 fewer people would be in poverty in Scotland, including 20,000 children if the policy was scrapped.
Despite howls of opposition from his MPs, Starmer doubled down on his stance, mocking his internal critics in an interview with former prime minister at an event in London on Tuesday.
