Cameron's "Better Together Boomerang" as He Calls for Benefit Cut on Day of NO Launch
Monday 25 June 2012
David Cameron has undermined the launch of the Labour/Tory No campaign today, as he set out Welfare reform proposals that would see benefit cuts for people because they live in Scotland. The Prime Minister's intervention comes as an IPSOS Mori poll shows 67% of people want the Scottish Government to take control of welfare and benefits.
David Cameron’s proposals include introducing regional rates of benefits, scrapping housing benefit for the under 25s and removing or restricting some benefits to out-of-work families with large numbers of children.
SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford said:
“David Cameron’s proposals cement the Tories position as the nasty party of UK politics, and yet today the Labour Party tell us they think it is best for Scotland for the Tories to be in charge of our welfare state.
"Thousands of Scots who now face the uncertainty of UK welfare cuts will be wondering what on earth Labour are doing entering an alliance with the Tories. The big question is whether we will now see regional rates for the state pension, with 1 million Scottish pensioners losing out because we are part of the UK. Can the No campaign guarantee that the Tories won't cut Scottish pensions?
“No wonder polls this weekend show 67% of people want the Scottish Government to take control of welfare and benefits – and not leave this crucial issue to London.
“It is incredible, and acutely embarrassing for Labour, that the prime minister has set out his welfare cuts on the day the anti-independence Labour-Tory pact was launched. Given these latest Tory plans, it is no surprise that only 20% of Scots think that we are better as part of the UK when there is a Tory government at Westminster."
