Keir Starmer pledged Scotland and working people will be at the heart of his government's mission if he becomes the next prime minister.

The Labour leader launched the party’s election campaign in Glasgow and said a new deal for working people would be top of his agenda.

He said Labour would increase the National Living Wage but later was unable to state what the new rate would be or what the current rate was.

Starmer said he had worked to change the Labour Party to one that people could trust in government.

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Just days into the campaign he said: I know there are people who wanted in the past to vote the Tories out but didn't vote Labour because they thought we couldn't win.

"Well, now we can. You have to take that opportunity by voting Labour."

On his first visit north of the border after Rishi Sunak called the election he said: "Scotland is central to the mission of the next Labour government.

He added: “The new deal for working people will be the biggest act of levelling up for working people for a generation.”

The Labour leader said there would be a Great British energy company based in Scotland, to invest in clean energy and lower energy prices.

“Keeping prices down across the whole country,” he said, would be possible with the new scheme.

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Starmer added: “If you want change you have to vote for it.”

At an event in front of candidates and supporters in Gorbals at City Facilities HQ, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Starmer expanded on why the new deal for working people was important.

Glasgow Times:

During a question and answer with reporters, he did not give an answer to the question ‘what is the current National Living Wage rate?’.

He also declined to say what the new rate would be or how soon it would be in place.

The Glasgow Times, asked: “What will the mandatory living wage be under Labour and how soon after July 5, when the votes are counted, will workers have to wait for a pay rise and can you remind us what the rate is just now?”

Glasgow Times:

Starmer said: “We will determine this as soon as we can in Government but the new deal for working people is deliberately intended to make sure people are paid properly for the work they do.

“Obviously there’s the individual rights but also if you look across fair pay agreements etc, that are proposed under the new deal for working people, for those that are poorly paid in fragmented sectors, like the care sector for example, it's hugely important to have fair pay agreements across the board.

“So, it’s the mechanism, I think, for making sure, like we did under the last Labour government, that wages go up and conditions improve.

“That is about dignity and respect at work but it's also critical to growing the economy.

“I don’t think you can grow the economy if you don’t treat people properly at work.

“The two go together, so it’s bound into our first and in a way our most important mission.”

When prompted: “Can you remind us what the Living Wage is at the minute?”  The party leader made to leave the room, as it was the final question, adding: “Thank you very much”.

When asked by another reporter, “So, no answer to that, then," Anas Sarwar interjected: “I just said it, It’s £11.44”.