Keir Starmer morphing into a Tory with cruel welfare cuts
Working-class families across Scotland will be thrown on to the front line of Keir Starmer’s appalling and cruel war on social security, says Scottish Greens social justice spokesperson Maggie Chapman MSP.
The comments come after the UK Labour government laid out plans to slash social security funding. The Prime Minister laid his intentions in the Daily Mail, with headlines declaring “war on benefits Britain”, this was followed by the Employment minister accusing some benefit claimants of “stealing from the state.”
Scottish Greens social justice spokesperson Maggie Chapman MSP said:
“Keir Starmer is morphing into a Tory before our eyes. He was elected by promising change but has opted for even more of the same punishing policies that have already caused so much damage and cost too many lives.
“These appalling cuts are cruel, stigmatising and will cause stress, anxiety and pain to some of the most marginalised people in our society.
“Families across Scotland are already forced beyond having to choose between heating and eating this winter due to 14 years of Tory economic cruelty and Labour’s callous Winter Fuel Payment cuts.
“Demonising people on social security benefits will not end poverty, it will simply entrench stigma. Social security support is the mark of a humane, decent society. It includes pension payments, disability support, and so much more.
“All politicians must work to urgently tackle the root causes of poverty in the UK, but that can only happen if we work to close the wealth gap between the super-rich and everyone else. The real scroungers are those who dodge paying tax, those who use loopholes and tax havens to avoid paying their fair share, and those, like the Royal family, who cost the tax payer millions of pounds.
“That is why the Scottish Greens are pushing for a wealth-tax on the top 1% to deliver £70 billion for our public services, which will help tackle the core issues which lead to poverty."
Ms Chapman added:
“Whilst in Government, the Scottish Greens delivered landmark work to tackle poverty; we doubled the Scottish Child Payment, which has supported families across the country with over £25 a week, we made buses free for young people, and we mandated that all government contracts must pay their workers a fair living wage.
“It is clear that only the Scottish Greens will take the real radical action needed to tackle poverty by putting people before profit.”