Tuesday 19 January 2021

Press Release on Universal Credit Cuts!

TORIES FACE GROWING BACKLASH OVER CALLOUS UNIVERSAL CREDIT CUTS

SNP DEMAND CHANCELLOR MAKES "INEVITABLE" U-TURN TO PROTECT INCOMES

The Tory government is facing a growing backlash over its plans to cut Universal Credit for six million people - after Tory MPs abstained in a vote in Parliament last night, including every single Scottish Tory MP.

Anti-poverty charities have spoken out. Helen Barnard, Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said the "incredibly tough situation millions are now facing" will be made worse by dithering, warning “delaying the decision on the future of the Universal Credit uplift leaves families facing crippling uncertainty". The Poverty Alliance tweeted: "Keep the £20 increase in Universal Credit, extend it to legacy benefits, and protect people from poverty. In a compassionate country like ours, this is just the right thing to do."

Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: "In dodging a decision on the universal credit uplift the Government today failed to provide that security and certainty. The £20 uplift has acted as a stabiliser for millions of families forced on to universal credit by coronavirus. If it is not retained and extended to all legacy benefit claimants, struggle will turn to real hardship for many more families – at the bleakest point - and more children will show up in the poverty statistics. That would not easily be forgiven by millions of households".

In a new report, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said: "They ought to resolve the uncertainty one way or another as soon as possible. The sums here are significant: £20 per week represents 13% of an average recipient’s UC entitlement, and for some families the figure will be as high as 21%. Waiting until the March Budget creates uncertainty and will make it difficult for low-income families to plan. A family currently deciding where they can afford to rent, for example, surely ought to know what their benefit entitlement will be in three months’ time."

Commenting, SNP Equalities spokesperson Anne McLaughlin MP said:

"It is callous and indefensible for the Tory government to slash the incomes of six million people in the middle of an economic crisis and global pandemic. It is no wonder the Tories are facing a growing backlash from families and anti-poverty charities.

"If the Tories go ahead with these cuts it would push millions of people into hardship and poverty at the worst possible time. It is surely inevitable there will be a U-turn. The Chancellor must get on with it to give households the certainty they need to budget for their rent and bills. People need to know they will not face a cliff edge as a result of Tory dithering.

"The fact that the Tories are even considering cutting people's incomes shows they cannot be trusted to stand up for families in Scotland. The £20 uplift to Universal Credit must be made permanent and extended to legacy benefits, as part of a wider package to boost incomes and mitigate the damage done by a decade of Tory cuts. Another short extension isn't good enough.

"The SNP government has led the way in tackling poverty, with new benefits like the Scottish Child Payment, but this progress is being severely undermined by Tory cuts that have taken money out of people's pockets.

"Scotland shouldn't have to wait for Westminster to act. The only way to secure a strong, fair and equal recovery is for Scotland to become an independent country - with the full powers needed to build a fairer society."

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Child Poverty Action Group response: https://twitter.com/CPAGUK/status/1351275400941481986?s=20

Joseph Rowntree Foundation response: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/how-mps-voted-ending-planned-23342086

Poverty Alliance response: https://twitter.com/PovertyAlliance/status/1351430393086566401?s=20

IFS report: https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/15266


Friday 20 November 2020

It's World Children's Day

And I've decided to mark it by announcing my special children's surgery. All under 16s in Glasgow North East are invited to book into my surgery in December. Details on the pics but make sure you get your parent or guardian to contact me and to come with you to the surgery. I want to hear how you are and what you think I should be doing as your MP.


Today is Equal Pay Day

It's 50 years since the Equal Pay Act. Do we have equal pay? Nope. Not always. That needs to change. Thanks to the Fawcett Society for the mask named The Jemison after Carol Mae Jemison, a scientist, medic and the first black woman to travel to space. 


Thursday 19 November 2020

The Talisman in Springburn is on its way down


We have been fighting for this for so long. The community has been fighting for it for over 20 years. The Labour controlled council did NOTHING about it. They let it lie in ruins, a blight on the landscape for longer than one of my colleagues who fought for this, SNP councillor Christina Cannon, has been alive. It is disgraceful.

But now, the SNP council who have been supportive of our insistence that it is demolished have put the plans in place to make sure it happens. The day that comes down will be of huge significance to Springburn. It's the day that we say actually you DO matter, your environment matters and your wishes matter. 

Somehow Labour will still try to take the credit / pick holes / point the finger. I don't care. I just want it gone and Springburn to get the attention it deserves.

Wednesday 11 November 2020

SNP leader at Westminster fights for 'The Excluded'


Many of us in the SNP have been speaking up about The Excluded which is the term for the millions of people who didn't benefit from furlough or the Self Employed support available. Having Ian BLACKFORD raise it at Prime Minister's Questions puts more pressure on the UK Government to do something. If you're affected by this have a look at the website for The Excluded. 

£20 uplift MUST be added to ALL benefits, not just one