Lord Anas Sarwar has reaffirmed his support for Scotland’s financial services industry following a meeting with BlackRock and other sector leaders in Edinburgh.
Sarwar said the industry plays a major role in Scotland’s economy through exports, investment and high-value employment, and stressed the importance of working closely with businesses to unlock further growth.
Writing on X following the meeting, he said:
“I met with BlackRock and financial services leaders in Edinburgh yesterday to emphasise my commitment to the sector, to recognise the significant role they are playing and to make clear that we are determined to work with them to achieve even more.”
He added:
“Our financial services sector is a leader in trade exports, a key driver of economic growth and helps attract inward investment.”
The meeting brought together representatives from BlackRock and Scottish Financial Enterprise, underlining the importance of Edinburgh and the wider Scottish economy to the UK’s financial services industry.
Scotland has a longstanding financial services base spanning asset management, banking, insurance, pensions and fintech, with Edinburgh remaining one of the UK’s most important financial centres outside London.
Sarwar’s intervention reflects Labour’s wider focus on working with business to encourage investment, support skilled jobs and strengthen sectors where Scotland already has a competitive advantage.
He said the sector’s contribution should be recognised not only in terms of employment but also its role in attracting international capital and supporting Scotland’s export performance.
The meeting also points to a broader effort to deepen cooperation between policymakers and major employers as Labour seeks to support economic growth across Scotland.
Sarwar said there were “many exciting plans ahead”, signalling that further engagement with the financial services sector is expected as Labour develops its economic agenda.
