Leaders hope budget funding will boost Labour in next year’s Scotland and Wales elections

Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar and the Welsh first minister, Eluned Morgan, both face humiliating defeat in next year’s elections, according to pollingLabour 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.” Continue reading...