The SNP have claimed that welfare cuts imposed by Westminster will “push 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.”
The party have denounced Labour’s fiscal policy saying they have “made the wrong choices” by proposing austerity and through their previous decisions to block compensation for WASPI women and to cut the winter fuel payment.
They have targeted Scottish Labour figures such as party leader Anas Sarwar, who they have previously called on to apologise for his “broken promises” to disabled Scots after telling voters to “read my lips: No austerity under Labour” in an interview with the BBC, and Westminster’s Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, who they claim has been “washing his hands” of the decision to cut welfare spending.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn said: “Rather than cheerleading the Chancellor to introduce a new era of Labour austerity, Ian Murray should have opposed these cuts to disability support from day 1. Instead, he has chosen to support a Labour Cabinet which is punching down on the poorest, imposing cuts and breaking more election promises by the day.”
Kirsty Blackman MP and the SNP’s Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “It’s now clear the Labour Party’s austerity cuts to disabled people will hurt the most vulnerable in society, push thousands of families into poverty, and slash the Scottish Government’s budget.
“During the election, the Labour Party promised voters it would stop the cuts, grow the economy and improve living standards – but it has broken all three of those promises.
“Under Keir Starmer, the UK economy is tanking, economic growth has been slashed in half , the cost of living is soaring – and disabled people are being forced to foot the bill for the Labour Party’s failure on the economy.
“The Chancellor is making the wrong choices by imposing austerity cuts, and punching down on the poorest, instead of tackling the root causes of Brexit Britain’s broken economy – and it is shameful that the Labour Party is pushing disabled people and their children into poverty.
“This was a cynical attempt to bury bad news on austerity cuts and the economy on the same day but people in Scotland won’t forget this blatant betrayal by the Labour Party – and it is staggering the Labour government is imposing even bigger cuts because it got its sums wrong.
“This is a warning sign for voters ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next year. It shows the Labour Party can’t be trusted to keep its promises – and it underlines the value of a progressive SNP government that will always stand up for Scotland in the face of Labour Party cuts.”
The Scottish Greens also voiced their disapproval in an email newsletter to subscribers on March 26, saying: “This afternoon, Labour announced cuts that its own analysis says will plunge 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children.
“After promising change, they used the Spring Statement to make £5 billion worth of cuts against disabled people while lining up with the super rich, the arms dealers and corporations who are raking it in.”
“These cuts are a choice”, they said claiming that “Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have the power to build a fairer, greener and brighter future” if they choose to tax the “super-rich” and use this money to “invest in people and planet”, rather than imposing austerity measures and slashing welfare.
