Whiteford Praises Local Business Following 'Best Bar None' Award

Banff & Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford has congratulated a Fraserburgh business, after it received a prestigious award for innovation.

http://cheersbarfraserburgh.com/

The local MP visited Cheers Café and Bar in Fraserburgh after the venue was awarded a ‘Best Bar None’ Award for Innovation. The latest award comes in the wake of more than a dozen similar awards and nominations in recent years, which have established the café and bar as a major attraction in the town.

Owner Dennis Forsyth welcomed Dr Whiteford, along with Troup councillor Hamish Partridge, to learn more about his business and its success. The visit was also an opportunity for Dr Whiteford to meet staff, and offer her congratulations on the venue’s recent award.

Speaking afterwards, Dr Whiteford said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to visit Cheers, and to see for myself the good work that Dennis and his staff are undertaking on the site. The astonishing number of awards and nominations Cheers has received from national bodies indicates the quality of the service being offered, and the business is a credit to Fraserburgh and the surrounding area.

“I look forward to congratulating Dennis on further awards in future.”

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Appointment of More Women to UK Cabinet "Does not Compensate for Cuts"

IMPACT OF WELFARE REFORM ON WOMEN HIGHLIGHTED
Following David Cameron's attempts to bring more women into the UK Cabinet, the SNP is today highlighting the fact that women bear the brunt of UK Government welfare cuts.

Evidence of Westminster's failure on welfare continues to mount up, with UK Government's own report - sneaked out during yesterday's reshuffle - admitting that Bedroom Tax has failed with only 4.5 per cent of those impacted moving to a smaller property and 59 per cent in arrears.

Research from the House of Commons Library has shown that out of a total of £4bn of welfare cuts coming to Scotland in 2014/15 – 69 per cent of the impact will fall on women.

As well as this, a report published this week highlights young women are likely to be among the hardest hit by Tory cuts. The report from the IFS and Joseph Rowntree Foundation finds young adults are bearing the brunt of the recession - and that 58 per cent of these young people are women, with a high percentage in paid employment. Many of these women will also have dependent children.

And despite Tory claims that the reshuffle is a step forward, women still make up less than 25 per cent of the UK Cabinet, while 40 per cent of Scottish Cabinet members are women.

SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford said:

“For four years, David Cameron’s Government has presided over cuts which have hit women the hardest. While it is always welcome to see progress made on equality, the appointment of more women to Cabinet does not compensate for the impact of his welfare reforms on women in Scotland. What is needed is action to help women in Scotland who are suffering 69 per cent of the impact of unfair Tory welfare cuts.

"Evidence that Westminster is failing our women and young people grows by the day. We have already seen a 400 per cent increase in the number of people relying on food banks as a result of Westminster’s obsession with dismantling the welfare state, and now the UK Government's own report on Bedroom Tax - sneaked out during the reshuffle - finds 59 per cent of those hit by Bedroom Tax are in arrears. This week's report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation also highlights the impact Tory cuts are having on young people - and a majority are women.

“The Scottish Government is doing what it can to mitigate the impact of welfare cuts, but with the full powers of independence we could do so much more. In an independent Scotland we can not only build a welfare state that is a tool to tackle poverty and is a springboard to a better life – we can also take action to offer more opportunities for women. Our plans to transform childcare will help more parents – particularly women – back into work.

“We have also committed to ensuring women are not disadvantaged by the welfare system in the way the UK Government’s plans do.

“As Scotland’s Future makes clear, the Scottish Government is committed to building an equal Scotland. Women make up 40 per cent of the members of the Scottish Cabinet and just last month, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon held the first all-women Scottish Cabinet event, which brought together women from 130 organisations across Scotland.

“But we can’t allow Westminster to keep holding back progress on tackling inequality. Only a Yes vote will enable us to tackle inequality and poverty, and further empower women in the process.”

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UK Government Distracted by Reshuffle as DWP in "Utter Shambles"

The Scottish National Party has said the UK government must not get distracted by a potential Cabinet reshuffle on Monday and focus on the “utter shambles” at the Department of Work and Pensions. The department has been heavily criticised recently for a string of blunders which have hit some of the most vulnerable people in society.

• This week, the DWP failed to provide a straightforward answer to Parliament as to whether the Treasury had signed off the business case for the controversial Universal Credit welfare programme. Earlier in the week, top civil servant Bob Kerslake said the controversial scheme had not been approved by the Treasury, contradicting earlier assurances from welfare minister Esther McVey who told MPs that the Treasury had approved the "strategic outline business case".
• The DWP has refused to commission analysis into the link between foodbanks and welfare cuts – despite Scotland Office Minister David Mundell calling for the research only two weeks ago. A report in the Daily Record states Westminster is “scared of the truth” on welfare following UK Employment Minister Esther McVey’s admission there are “no immediate plans to produce or commission further research”. This is despite foodbank use increasing by 400 per cent in the last year, with 22,000 children in Scotland forced to rely on foodbanks.
• The Department of Work and Pensions was heavily criticised following a damning report from the Public Accounts Committee on the introduction of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) which described the scheme as a “fiasco.” The cross-party group of MPs warned that the PIP scheme has been “rushed” through with a “shocking” impact on claimants.

Commenting, SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said:

“When it comes to welfare, Westminster is an utter shambles.

“While the UK government may be focusing on reshuffling their cabinet, they need to urgently act on some of the damage they are causing to some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“Scotland is an incredibly wealthy nation – richer per head than France, Japan and the UK as a whole – and yet thanks to Westminster’s attack on the welfare state more than 22,000 children in Scotland have to rely on foodbanks.

“With a YES vote in September, we can make Scotland’s wealth work for all the people who live here and create a fairer welfare system based on Scotland’s needs – in stark contrast to Westminster’s punitive cuts which are pushing more and more people into poverty.”

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YES Vote Can End Pensions Con

SNP Welfare spokesperson Eilidh Whiteford today said a YES vote could end the “pensions con” that UK Government and Labour politicians are trying to play on people in Scotland.

As Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee today (Monday) attempts to whip up fears over pensions, the SNP has called on the Westminster parties to stop treating people like fools and publish their plans for the future of the state pension.

Criticising the games being played by the no campaign around pension policy Dr Whiteford said:

“Pensioners have worked all their lives and made their contribution and we should ensure they receive decent pensions.

“Scotland has paid more in taxes in each and every one of the last 30 years than the rest of the UK, much of it through the efforts of those who are now pensioners and with independence we will ensure pensioners get the support they are rightly entitled to.

“The UK and Scottish Governments have guaranteed that pensions will continue to be paid whatever the result of the referendum and the Scottish Government has confirmed pensions will be set at a minimum of £160 a week in 2016-17. The UK Government and the Labour party have failed to tell pensioners what they intend to pay or confirm they will ensure pensions keep pace with the cost of living.

"Instead of trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes Labour and the UK Government should set out their position on the future of the state pension.

"Scotland is one of the wealthiest nations on earth, wealthier per head than the UK, Japan and France yet for too many people, including too many of our pensioners, it doesn’t feel that way.

"Scotland’s vast wealth and resources means we are more able to afford pensions as part of our economy and as a share of our revenues, and with independence we will be able to grow our economy, boost the number of working age people and increase revenues guaranteeing our older people the dignity they deserve in retirement."

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