THE SNP’s Westminster spokeswoman for Social Justice and Welfare, Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP, has insisted “lessons must be learned” after disability rights campaigners won an appeal against the UK Government’s refusal to publish reports into the deaths of people who took their own lives after their benefits were cut.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may now be forced to disclose details of the investigations into suicides and other deaths.
Whiteford said: “The SNP has twice asked the Prime Minister why these reports have not been published by the DWP and twice there have been no answers.
“Lessons must be learnt from these tragic deaths and more must be done to ensure that there are no more deaths as a result of the Tories’ deeply damaging policies.”
In the coming weeks, only subscribers will be able to comment on The National articles. Subscribe now or log in to make sure you stay a part of the conversation.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions. What should we do with our second vote in 2021? What happens if Westminster says no to indyref2?
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversation, register under fake names, and post vile abuse. We’ve had hundreds of emails from you complaining about this, asking us to take steps to ensure that these people aren’t given a platform on our site.
We’re listening to you, and here’s how we plan to make that happen.
We have decided to make the ability to comment only available to our 10,000 paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them.
We’ll be monitoring this change over the first few weeks, and we’re keen to know your thoughts. Email us at letters@thenational.scot if you want to have your say.
Callum Baird, Editor of The National