By Lucy Ashton
New analysis by the House of Commons has shown that weekly real earnings are lower today than they were in 2007 when Labour left office and the SNP first came to power.
The analysis shows real wages continued to rise until 2010 while Labour remained in government at a UK level, but under the Tories and the SNP the average Scot earns less in real terms than they did in 2007.
The shocking statistic was revealed by Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray MP, pictured right, after he addressed Our Scottish Future’s one day conference in Edinburgh.
The Better Jobs, Better Skills Better Pay conference was held in central Edinburgh with other speakers including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Liz McAreavey and Lord Sainsbury.
The gross median weekly earnings in Scotland for full time employees, taking account of inflation, remain lower than they were in 2007. During the last Labour government in Scotland, real wages grew by 25%.
Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray MP is expected to say: “Under the last Labour government, real wages – that is earnings taking account for inflation and other costs – grew enormously.
“A 27% increase in wages, from £563 a week, to £713 in weekly earnings.
“That was transformative for millions of families and my friends, that’s what happens when you have somebody with the leadership of Gordon Brown in charge of economic policy.
“Yet sadly, Scotland and the UK has been without that economic leadership ever since.
“In fact, according to analysis I have published today, real wages in Scotland are actually lower today than they were when Labour left office.
“16 years of the SNP, and real take home pay for Scots is lower than it was when they started. 13 years of the Tories and people are measurably worse off – by the tune of more than £40 a month for the average person.
“It’s the end of 2023 and Scots are poorer than they were in 2007. That is a statistic which should embarrass every government politician in Edinburgh and London.
“It is quite simply, a total failure of economic policy.
“Scots will ask themselves after 13 years of the Tories and 16 years of the SNP if they feel better off and the answer for many people will be no. They’ll ask if public service and the NHS are better and the answer is no.
“That’s why the next Labour government will have laser focus on growing the economy, creating jobs, making work pay, and turning the country into a green energy superpower – because that is the change Scotland needs.”
| Gross median weekly earnings in Scotland | ||||||||||
| Full-time employees working in Scotland, April 2023 prices | ||||||||||
| Weekly wages £ | Annual % change | Average % change | ||||||||
| April each year | Scotland | UK | Scotland | UK | Scotland | UK | ||||
| 1997 | £563 | £599 | ||||||||
| 1998 | £576 | £614 | 2% | 3% | ||||||
| 1999 | £594 | £624 | 3% | 2% | ||||||
| 2000 | £608 | £645 | 2% | 3% | ||||||
| 2001 | £631 | £668 | 4% | 4% | ||||||
| 2002 | £651 | £685 | 3% | 3% | ||||||
| 2003 | £659 | £698 | 1% | 2% | ||||||
| 2004 | £666 | £715 | 1% | 3% | ||||||
| 2005 | £685 | £723 | 3% | 1% | ||||||
| 2006 | £703 | £729 | 3% | 1% | ||||||
| 2007 | £706 | £731 | 0% | 0% | ||||||
| 2008 | £718 | £744 | 2% | 2% | ||||||
| 2009 | £717 | £741 | 0% | 0% | ||||||
| 2010 | £713 | £729 | 0% | -2% | ||||||
| 2011 | £679 | £697 | -5% | -4% | ||||||
| 2012 | £676 | £687 | 0% | -1% | ||||||
| 2013 | £675 | £686 | 0% | 0% | ||||||
| 2014 | £677 | £675 | 0% | -2% | ||||||
| 2015 | £688 | £688 | 2% | 2% | ||||||
| 2016 | £696 | £701 | 1% | 2% | ||||||
| 2017 | £693 | £697 | 0% | -1% | ||||||
| 2018 | £697 | £703 | 1% | 1% | ||||||
| 2019 | £699 | £709 | 0% | 1% | ||||||
| 2020 | £712 | £704 | 2% | -1% | ||||||
| 2021 | £735 | £722 | 3% | 3% | ||||||
| 2022 | £696 | £695 | -5% | -4% | ||||||
| 2023 | £703 | £682 | 1% | -2% | ||||||
| Change in £ | Total % change | Average % change | ||||||||
| Change 1997-2007 | £143 | £133 | 25% | 22% | 2% | 2% | ||||
| Change 2007-2023 | -£3 | -£50 | 0% | -7% | 0% | 0% | ||||
| Change 1997-2010 | £151 | £130 | 27% | 22% | 2% | 2% | ||||
| Change 2010-2023 | -£11 | -£47 | -1% | -6% | 0% | -1% | ||||
Ah well Baroness Michele Mone is £60m up.
Suck it up folks – ho ho ho hee hee hee! It’s all the SNP’s fault. Tee hee hee