Change has begun for Scotland with Labour - Ian Murray

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaks during the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool

We have 37 Scottish Labour MPs but the party must not assume voters ‘came home’. They did not. They chose Labour because they had been failed by two bad governments and desperately wanted change.

As Anas Sarwar said in his address, the job is only half done – we only got rid of one of Scotland's two bad governments in July and we need to get rid of the other in 2026.

The financial inheritance we knew about will be challenging, compounded by the £22 billion black hole we didn’t know about – an act of astonishing economic vandalism from the Tories that they’ve just walked away from.

The Treasury reserves were spent three times in just three months. I can’t believe that barely 18 months after crashing the economy the Tories were ready to do it all over again and lie to the public about it. I was astonished and angry at that.

But the economic inheritance we face isn’t just fiscal, it’s structural. In recent weeks we have seen various companies in Scotland announce closures or job losses including Mitsubishi Electric in Livingston.

While individual circumstances will drive these decisions, there is an overarching issue that Scotland is now feeling the consequences of more than a decade without an industrial strategy

Scotland has a proud industrial past – and it could have a bright industrial future, which guarantees jobs and wealth for families for generations to come, if we grow the economy and get the transition to net zero right.

But that requires us to fix the foundations first, and get a long-term plan in place.

That process of change has begun.

We will end short-term economic policy making with the establishment of a UK Industrial Strategy Council and ensure Scottish representation on the Council, as well as business and trade unions, to drive economic growth in all parts of the country.

In Liverpool the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Anas Sarwar delivered a much needed upbeat and hopeful message but also made clear – there will be no return to austerity under a Labour government.

Instead we will choose a different path. Seeking economic growth and the opportunities that come from clean power.

That’s why I was delighted to hear the PM announce that GB Energy would be headquartered in Aberdeen, with offices next to the financial sectors in Glasgow and Edinburgh. That will create jobs and help ensure Scotland's existing world class energy workforce can lead and benefit from the industry of the future.

That is delivering on the promises Labour made on 4 July. Scotland at the heart of a Labour government, powering change and seeing the jobs and wealth which will be created as a result.

We are as impatient as the public to deliver change but we need to be honest that it will take time given the inheritance. But there is light at the end of the tunnel and with that light comes the hope of a better future for everyone.

Ian Murray is Labour MP for Edinburgh South and Secretary of State for Scotland​​