Fife Labour politicians in two-child benefit cap feud

Dunfermline MP Graeme Downie complained about party-colleague Alex Rowley after he asked newly-elected Fife Labour politicians to back an SNP bid to scrap the two-child benefit cap, The Courier can reveal.

Party bosses intervened after Mr Rowley asked the MPs to defy their leader in a Westminster vote that saw the new government resist SNP attempts to overturn the controversial Conservative-era benefit rule.

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP contacted his new colleagues ahead of the vote in July asking them to vote against the cap – which means families do not receive any Universal Credit child element for their third or subsequent children.

Sir Keir Starmer U-turned on scrapping the rule ahead of the general election, and in July last year the SNP forced a House of Commons vote to scrap the policy.

Alex Rowley MSP Mid Scotland and Fife — Labour MSP Alex Rowley.

Despite Scottish Labour’s official policy advocating for it to be reversed, Mr Downie complained to party whips over lobbying efforts by Mr Rowley – the party’s former deputy leader.

The Dunfermline and Dollar MP refused to comment.

It compounds speculation that a rift has emerged between the two groups of Labour politicians less than a year since the general election.

Leader Anas Sarwar has been keen to avoid such a split, something that dogged the party post-devolution while he was an MP.

Labour are keen to avoid a rift between their groups in the Commons and Holyrood. Image: Shutterstock

Meanwhile, The Times reported some of the 37 newly-elected Scottish Labour MPs believe their Scottish Parliament counterparts lack “gravitas and credibility”.

And party sources at Holyrood criticised the MPs for not making their presence felt on issues like the two-child cap.

Polling concerns

Current polling suggests Scottish Labour will struggle to oust the SNP from government at the Holyrood election next year.

Reform is also posing a challenge to Anas Sarwar with suggestions 10% or more of previous Labour voters could back Nigel Farage’s attempt to secure seats for his party in the Scottish Parliament.

Such a result could mean Labour struggles to oust SNP MSPs in constituencies like Kirkcaldy – which it won in 2024.

Asked about the complaint, a Scottish Labour spokeswoman did not comment on the apparent rift directly.

She said: “Scottish Labour has long supported removing the two-child cap as soon as it is possible to do so.

“The UK Labour government’s record budget settlement for Scotland means it is now possible to do so here, and we want to see this happen as soon as possible.”