SNP blasts Anas Sarwar after Labour leader admits family firm not paying Living Wage to all staff

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Anas Sarwar has been accused of "hypocrisy" after he admitted not every member of staff at his family's business was being paid the Living Wage.The Scottish Labour leader was quizzed about working practices at United Wholesale after his party previously pledged to deliver a "genuine living wage".Sarwar has no active role in the company set up by his father and voluntarily waived his right to dividend payments after becoming an MSP.The rate for the Scottish Living Wage is £12 per hour, 66p more than the minimum wage which is set at £11.44.Labour has said it will introduce a "New Deal for Working People" if it wins power at Westminster.Sarwar said the plan for all workers to be paid a "genuine living wage" will apply to all businesses – including his own family’s.And he said staff at United Wholesale had already received “significant increases” in their pay packets.Asked if his family's business was now paying all its staff at least the real living wage, Sarwar told the BBC: "Well, they have a really good strong relationship with the USDAW trade union.”"They will have to do what everyone will have to do which is comply with the new deal for working people that will deliver a genuine living wage, and they have a trade union recognition agreement with USDAW and a very strong relationship with USDAW.”"It's not my business.

I have no shares in that business. It's a business that yes, my family has an involvement in, but I have no direct involvement with that business.”Asked if he did not know whether they pay all of the staff at least the real living wage or if he knew that they didn’t, he replied: "Well, I don't believe that every single staff member is on the real living wage."The admission was seized on by SNP Westminster