‘TRUE COST’ OF OSBORNE’S AUSTERITY FOR FAMILIES HIGHLIGHTED
A new expert report showing how families could lose out on £2,000 due to tax credit cuts shows the ‘true cost’ of Westminster control of social security, the SNP has said today – as the party repeats its call for full control over the economy and welfare to be in Scotland’s hands.
The report produced by the Resolution Foundation reveals that the Westminster welfare cuts will plunge another 200,000 working households in the UK into poverty over the next five years. Previous figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) have shown that almost 350,000 children in Scotland will be hit by the UK Government’s cuts to tax credits.
Commenting, SNP Westminster Social Justice Spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said,
“David Cameron claims to be waging an “all-out assault on poverty”, but the depressing reality is that his government is forcing more and more Scots below the poverty line, costing jobs and stifling economic growth.
“350,000 children in Scotland will be badly hit by the tax credit changes coming in to force and Holyrood has its hands tied by the refusal of the Tories to devolve key powers to the Scottish Parliament.
“The case for full control of social security being passed to the Scottish Parliament is undeniable and backed overwhelmingly by civic Scotland. Once again it is Scotland’s most vulnerable who will suffer as a result of Westminster policies.”
Local SNP MP and Vice Convener of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civil Society & Volunteering, Martin Docherty said,
“Day-after-day, the true cost of the Tories savage and immoral cuts are coming to light. Their ideological obsession with austerity is a direct-attack on working people and their families across the UK.
While the SNP has consistently argued for a more sensible public spending policy that supports investment and protects the most vulnerable members of our community, the Tories remain committed to austerity and are backed by an ineffective Labour party, unable to muster any sort of cohesive opposition.
That’s why the list of third sector organisations calling on the UK Government to go further in the devolution of powers over the economy and social security is growing by the week; and why the SNP will continue to make the case for these powers to be in Scotland’s hands, rather than in the hands of George Osborne and Iain Duncan Smith.”