In using the excuse that they ‘paired’ with coalition MPs on the vote to scrap the Bedroom Tax in the House of Commons last night, Labour have admitted that they did not regard the vote as "of great political importance" - since pairing "is not allowed" in such votes.
The opposition day debate was initiated by Labour, yet a quarter of Scottish Labour MPs failed to turn up and it was lost by just 26 votes.
Commenting, SNP spokesperson for Work and Pensions Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said:
“On their own terms, clearly neither the Labour Party nor Westminster as a whole regard the Bedroom Tax as 'of great political importance' - which is an insult to all those families who are suffering from the imposition of this cruel policy.
“This is especially bizarre given that Margaret Curran wrote to Alistair Carmichael urging the Liberal Democrats to rebel against the government. If Labour were already in a cosy deal with the Con/Dems, what was the point of Ms Curran's letter?
“Unlike Labour and Westminster, the Scottish Government is well aware of how important an issue the Bedroom Tax is, and so I believe are the vast majority of people in Scotland. The Bedroom Tax is an unfair and unworkable policy which targets the most disadvantaged in our society, and it will only be scrapped with a Yes vote next year.”
“This is especially bizarre given that Margaret Curran wrote to Alistair Carmichael urging the Liberal Democrats to rebel against the government. If Labour were already in a cosy deal with the Con/Dems, what was the point of Ms Curran's letter?
“Unlike Labour and Westminster, the Scottish Government is well aware of how important an issue the Bedroom Tax is, and so I believe are the vast majority of people in Scotland. The Bedroom Tax is an unfair and unworkable policy which targets the most disadvantaged in our society, and it will only be scrapped with a Yes vote next year.”