THE SNP have accused Boris Johnson of failing to deliver a fair recovery after Covid – warning Tory “plans for austerity 2.0” threaten to send levels of inequality “through the roof”.
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, highlighted plans to cut a £20 a week uplift to Universal Credit, which UK ministers have signalled will take place before winter.
Giving evidence to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee last week, Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson warned this would “knock out” the benefits that the Scottish Child Payment brings to families.
He said: “All the evidence shows this uplift is absolutely essential to families and removing it will be catastrophic for many unless other supports are in place.”
Meanwhile Blackford also highlighted a report by the IPPR think tank which found the UK’s poverty rate among working households last year reached a record high this century.
The analysis found an increase in relative poverty from 13% in 1996 to 17.4% of working households in the year to March 2020, reflecting a combination of low wage rises and the spiralling cost of living.
And it said the situation has deteriorated steadily since 2010 – which is the year the Tories came to power at Westminster.
Blackford said: “It’s clear that Boris Johnson has absolutely no intention of building a fair recovery from Covid – and is instead plotting a return to Tory austerity cuts that will cement poverty and inequality.
“The only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts is to become an independent country – with the full powers to build the strong, fair and equal recovery that people in Scotland want to see.
“Tory plans to slash Universal Credit, impose a public sector pay freeze, and cut public spending amount to austerity 2.0, could send levels of poverty and inequality soaring through the roof.”
Blackford said the Covid pandemic had exposed “deep inequalities” under the “broken Westminster system”.
He added: “The Tories are failing to deliver a fair recovery – and are undermining the progress being made in Scotland, by cancelling out the benefits of the Scottish Child Payment, with cuts to household incomes.
“It is essential that, once this crisis has passed, people in Scotland have the right to choose independence so we can secure our recovery.”
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 about the future of our country.
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 conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our 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. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here