UK government ministers have drawn up plans to cut billions of pounds from welfare spending by looking to force hundreds of thousands of people who suffer from physical and mental illnesses back to work.
People who have a chronic illness, or in severe pain whilst awaiting an operation, could be forced back to work before they are fit and able, or risk having their benefits cut.
The proposals have been labelled as ‘heartless’ by the SNP’s Social Justice Spokesperson, David Linden MP, who has warned that the policy will plunge chronically ill and disabled people into poverty.
The charity, Disability Rights UK, have said this policy “is a deliberate attempt to save money by risking disabled people’s lives” and that the consequences will be “more disabled people will be pushed into poverty, we will see more deaths and greater deterioration in health.”
Commenting David Linden MP said:
“These latest nasty Tory proposals will cut the incomes of chronically ill and disabled people in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
“This Westminster government, which Scotland didn’t vote for, is heartless and they need to go – and the only way to do that for good is with independence.
“That is the only way Scotland will ever get the governments it votes for and the only way to create a fair, more equal society.
“Whilst the Westminster government looks for ways to push people into poverty, the Scottish Government is working to put money in people’s pockets with policies such as the Scottish Child Payment and by freezing council tax.
“With the Tories and Labour increasingly on the same page on a whole host of damaging policies, including Brexit and austerity, it’s clear that it is only with independence that Scotland can rid itself of damaging Westminster policies and build a fairer, more prosperous country.
“Independent European countries like Scotland are wealthier and fairer than the UK.
“So the question is – why not Scotland?”
