Domestically Abused Women Unable To Vote Anonymously

WHITEFORD WRITES TO SCOTLAND OFFICE CALLING FOR ACTION TO END ANOMALY
The SNP MP for Banff and Buchan, Dr Eilidh Whiteford, has written to the Secretary of State for Scotland calling for an end to delays from the Scotland Office in fixing a legal anomaly which could stop women who have been domestically abused from safely voting.

Women in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can register to vote anonymously by showing evidence of their legal protection from an abusive ex-partner – usually a civil protective order - to an electoral registration office, while in Scotland women with equivalent protection must apply to the Chief Constable or chief social work officer who has to “attest" that they have experienced abuse.

This added complication makes women less likely to vote and, according to women’s organisations, potentially adds to the risk for women who need to maintain anonymity to remain safe.

The legal anomaly arose because Scottish protective orders were not included in the list of prescribed orders when the regulations, contained in the Electoral Administration Act 2006, came into force.

In her letter Dr Whiteford questions why this issue has not been resolved six years after the regulations came into play, and called for a clear timetable and action plan to bring forward the necessary changes.

Dr Whiteford said:

“Women who have faced abuse are being let down by the system and that has to change.

“The Scotland Office has had six years to fix this legislative issue and make sure all women in Scotland can safely vote. Why have they not yet done so? These delays affect some of the most vulnerable women in society and are simply unjustifiable.

“It cannot be right that women struggling to rebuild their lives after domestic abuse feel they don’t have a voice. I have written today to the Scotland Office calling for a clear timetable to fix this anomaly.

“One in five Scottish women suffer domestic abuse at some point in their lives. It is a hidden scourge on society that needs to be tackled.

“It’s already too late for the upcoming local elections, but I call on The Scotland Office to take swift action and make sure that in future all women can exercise their right to vote, free from fear."

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Tories Fail on Family Values - Benefits Changes Could Split Families

The SNP said the Prime Minister was spectacularly failing on his pledge to make the country the most "family-friendly" place in Europe.

"We need good, strong families to help our society work well. We will support families to stay together." - Conservative Manifesto 2010, page 6.

Changes to working tax credit which came into force on Friday (April 6) are the latest attack on low income families which could see couples financially better off splitting up.

Some couples will have to find an additional 8 hours work per week to qualify for working tax credit, as the threshold has risen from 16 to 24 hours, while that for lone parents remains at 16 hours.

Those unable to find extra work will see their income drop by £3,870 - plunging over 212,000 couples with 470,000 children into poverty.

The UK Government ignored calls from child poverty campaigners to delay the change until Universal Benefits came into force in 2013.

This attack on low earning couples comes as family budgets are already under immense pressure from soaring food and fuel prices, high childcare costs and caps to other benefits.

The SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson, Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP, said

"When David Cameron was campaigning he claimed he would do everything he could to strengthen and support families.

“Yet at the flick of a pen the Tory-Lib Dem coalition have condemned thousands of families into poverty with this savage cut.

“The loss of working tax credit could make people financially better off as single parents. The changes could not only break up families, but prevent lone parents from getting together.

“These ill-thought out reforms are the latest of a series of attacks on the pockets of the poorest in society.

“From a pasty tax to soaring fuel costs, the Conservatives and their Lib-Dem sidekicks are making life tougher for lower earners while giving tax breaks to millionaires.

“Scottish Labour may carp from the sidelines but they still prefer to see Scottish families ground down by Tory-Lib Dem rule than create a fairer society in Scotland.”

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Tories Challenged Over Pensioner Tax Grab

TREASURY MUST ABANDON UNFAIR TAX PLAN
The SNP has issued a challenge to the Scottish Tories over the Chancellor’s tax grab on pensioners urging the party to speak out for pensioners in Scotland who have been hit by the raid to fund a tax-cut for millionaires.

SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP questioned whether the Prime Minister’s Scottish adviser, Andrew Dunlop, who helped usher in the poll tax, had been involved in the development of this tax policy.

Dr Whiteford said:

“Just as Labour was forced to apologise over the 10p tax fiasco, the Tories must now say sorry and abandon their plans for this unfair tax hit on older people.

“There are more pensioners in Scotland affected by this pensioners poll tax than voters who supported the Tories at the last election.

“The Chancellor’s proposals will hit people with modest pensions and savings for their retirement and it is disgraceful that they are being targeted by the Treasury while millionaires and the richest earners like the Prime Minister are set to benefit from a tax cut. The Tories have their priorities all wrong.

“The Tories have a record on unfair taxes, and people will wonder if the Prime Minister’s latest adviser, who ushered in the poll tax, was also involved in development of this tax raid on pensioners.

“Last week’s Budget truly fails the fairness test when pensioners are penalised while millionaires get a tax cut from the Tories.

“The Chancellor should admit he got it wrong and reverse this unfair tax raid.”

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Budget Blow For Pensioners

SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Eilidh Whiteford MP has warned that the Chancellors decision to freeze personal tax allowances for the over-65s will hit pensioners hard.  Dr Whiteford contrasted the Coalition Government’s treatment of pensioners with tax cut given to the highest earners.

Higher personal tax allowances granted to those over the age of 65 – £10,500 for those aged 65 to 74 and £10,660 for those aged 75 plus (2012-13) – will be frozen until they come into line with the basic personal tax allowance.

Dr Whiteford said:

“The Budget truly fails the fairness test when millions of pensioners are penalised while millionaires get a tax cut from the Tories.

“While, as expected, the Chancellor increased personal tax allowances, his decision to freeze the higher age allowances granted to those aged over 65 will hit pensioners hard.

“The devil is always in the detail with Treasury announcements, and the Chancellor must now say whether any assessment was made of the impact that this decision on pensioner households.”

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