On:
In: Political News

Scottish National Party spokesperson for Social Justice and Welfare Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP has slammed the UK Government’s budget for failing millions of low and middle income families. The Tory government budget includes cuts to Tax Credits, which the Institute of Fiscal Studies has said will not be compensated by the government’s so-called ‘Living wage.’ Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said: “In work poverty is the scandal of our time- and it’s a scandal that was ignored by yesterday’s Tory budget. “In Scotland tax credits are overwhelmingly paid to working people. And in Scotland 95% of tax creditsRead More →

On:
In: Political News

The SNP is today highlighting further expert evidence on the ‘devastating’ impacts of sanctions on women – amidst further backing for powers over the sanctions regime to be in Scotland’s hands rather than Westminster’s. Ahead of this week’s meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee, a series of expert submissions have underlined the appalling impact of sanctions on single mothers, survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, disabled women and refugees in particular. Close the Gap, One Parent Families Scotland, the Fawcett Society, Inclusion Scotland, the Scottish Refugee Council, Child Poverty Action Group and the Scottish Women’s Convention all submitted written evidence highly critical ofRead More →

On:
In: Political News

Ahead of the Queen’s Speech, the SNP has made clear that it will fight the Tories’ plans for £12bn in welfare cuts ‘every step of the way’ – and that promoting an alternative to continued cuts will be the party’s key priority at Westminster. The Tory’s commitment to further welfare cuts comes as new statistics published last week show that around a third of the UK population experienced poverty in at least one year between 2010 and 2013 – higher than the EU average of 25 per cent. During the General Election campaign, the SNP promoted an end to austerity with modest increases in publicRead More →