The SNP have claimed that the Scottish Labour leader “can’t be trusted to stand up for Scotland” after he backed the UK government’s plans to slash welfare spending.
Anas Sarwar has previously told the public to “read my lips” before saying that there will be “no austerity under labour”.
The SNP say that he has failed to “keep his promises” that he has previously made to disabled people in Scotland after backing Westminster’s cuts.
The Scottish Labour leader has also previously called to “top up” disabled benefits and double the Scottish Child Payment designed to help towards the costs of raising a family.
The Labour government unveiled their sweeping plans to save £5 billion a year by slashing the welfare bill in a speech in the commons on Tuesday. Liz Kendall, Labour’s Work and Pensions secretary wants to create a “pro-work system” by encouraging those capable of working back into the labour market.
The changes will make it harder for people with less severe disabilities and mental health conditions to claim benefits while also introducing a “right to try” for those who want to try employment without automatically losing their benefit entitlement.
Other payments will be frozen or reduced for future applicants, while under-22’s will no longer be able to claim universal credit.
A number of Labour MPs opposed the sweeping reforms with Dawn Butler, MP for Brent East calling the move “crass” while Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South asked the party leadership if they understood the “pain and difficulty that this will cause millions of people” and claimed that many people are “very angry about this” and “do not think this is the kind of action that a Labour government takes”.
Internal opposition to reforms forced ministers to make concessions to the final bill, scrapping the plan to freeze personal independence payments (PIP) for those living with a long-term physical or mental health condition. However the criteria to qualify for a PIP will be tightened in 2026.
Commenting on the situation, SNP Westminster deputy leader Pete Widhart said: “During the election, Mr Sarwar promised voters the Labour Party wouldn’t impose austerity cuts. He pledged to top up disability benefits, prioritise mental health support and champion the rights of disabled people.
“Yet, within months of getting into power, Mr Sarwar has ripped up his promises and backed billions of pounds worth of Labour Party cuts to disabled people, taking vital support away from people with serious mental and physical health conditions.
“It is staggering hypocrisy and it shows that Anas Sarwar’s words are worthless. He should apologise to disabled people and all of the voters in Scotland that he misled. If Mr Sarwar can’t be trusted to stand up for the most vulnerable in Scotland, how can anyone trust him at all?
“The cuts to disabled people are just the beginning of a new era of Labour Party austerity. All of us will pay the price as Keir Starmer takes the axe to public services and household incomes.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary, told the BBC that she hopes the government will reconsider the reform, saying that there is a “real concern and desperate worry” among vulnerable communities and that “they have got this wrong”.
