Charities Attack Tory Welfare Policies as "Deeply Cynical & Senseless"

EXPERTS VIEW ON IMPACT OF TORY POLICIES MUST BE HEEDED
The SNP’s Welfare and Pensions Spokesperson Eilidh Whiteford has said that the UK Government must listen to the voices of leading charities and poverty experts who have spoken out about the deeply damaging effect of their welfare policies on Scotland’s poorest families.

The intervention follows George Osborne’s announcement at this week’s Tory conference that a further £3bn is to be cut from the welfare bill, with benefits frozen for two years. These cuts are expected to hit 1 million families in Scotland. But when Mr Osborne made this announcement it was met with cheers from Tory delegates.

As reported in today’s Sunday Herald a wide range of organisations including Shelter Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, Shelter Scotland, the Child Poverty Action Group, SCVO, the Poverty Alliance, Positive Action in Housing, Barnardo’s in Scotland, the Poverty Truth Commission, the Big Issue and the Trussell Trust, have spoken out and raised their concerns.

Commenting Dr Whiteford said:

“The warnings of these respected experts on poverty and welfare issues must be heeded before increasingly damaging Tory policies drive more into poverty. 100,000 more children in Scotland already face being pushed into poverty as a result of the Tories’ sustained attack on hard working and vulnerable families. Reports today that George Osborne’s benefits freeze will hit 1 million families in Scotland are deeply worrying.

“As their intervention shows this is no longer just a debate between politicians - now those people and organisations who work daily to help tackle poverty and deprivation are giving a stark warning which both Westminster and the wider Scottish society must heed.

“Westminster has proven time and time again it cannot be trusted when it comes to welfare. It is time for the Scottish Parliament to have the powers we need to make Scotland a fairer, more equal country and address the causes of inequality."