Further pressure has been piled on to the callous UK Tory government after Baroness Ruth Davidson (pictured) described plans to cut Universal Credit as the ‘wrong thing to do’.
During an appearance on Peston, the former Scottish Tory leader urged the Treasury to think again about the change and that many Tories were ‘uncomfortable’ with cutting £20 from Universal Credit.
The Baroness went on to say that the cut was ‘bad politics’ as the UK government could be forced to reintroduce the £20 in the future as inflation rises.
Commenting, SNP MSP and convener of the social security committee Neil Gray said:
“Baroness Davidson’s comments expose her utter hypocrisy – she acknowledges the damage and hardship this cut will cause but she will still seek at every turn to defend the Westminster system that imposes such policies on Scotland.
“Her comment that this is ‘bad politics’ may be true, but it betrays the fact her concern, as ever, is about propping up Tory support and not with the communities affected.
“But the fact that even the most senior Tory politicians are speaking out against the cut to Universal Credit shows just how devastating taking away £20 a week from the most vulnerable will be.
“In the face of such opposition the Tories are continuing to push ahead with the cut and potentially plunge 20,000 children in Scotland into poverty.
“Families across Scotland are facing a winter of discontent as the Tories cut Universal Credit, energy bills skyrocket and inflation continues to increase.
“Many will have to make the toughest of decisions over the winter – whether to heat their homes or whether to eat.
“This demonstrates once again how the people of Scotland cannot afford another decade of Tory austerity and need to have the option of choosing a different path in a referendum for recovery where we can build a fairer and greener Scotland.”
