Pressure is mounting on Boris Johnson (pictured) to perform an eleventh-hour U-turn on devastating Tory plans to cut Universal Credit payments – as new analysis shows almost half a million Scots could see their incomes slashed by £1040 a year.
As MPs prepare to vote on a cross-party amendment today (Monday), new analysis from the House of Commons Library, using the latest DWP data, has revealed that 477,996 people in Scotland could be hit if the Tory government goes ahead with the cuts – at a total cost to Scottish families of around £430 million a year.
In a breakdown of Scottish constituencies, the analysis shows those that would be hit hardest by the Tory cuts include Glasgow Central with 13,206 people on Universal Credit – 15.7% of the population aged 16-65, Glasgow North East with 11,738 (19.0%), Glasgow East with 11,444 (18.1%), Glasgow South West with 11,444 (19.1%), Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath with 11,372 (18.4%), Rutherglen and Hamilton West with 10,979 (15.8%), Kilmarnock and Loudoun with 10,833 (17.4%), Glenrothes with 10,798 (19.5%), Aberdeen North with 10,614 (14.4%), and Dundee West with 10,461 (16.8%).
The SNP will be voting in favour of the amendment to stop the Universal Credit cuts in today’s Commons vote.
SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson, David Linden MP, has called for the £20 a week uplift to be made permanent and extended to legacy benefits.
Commenting ahead of the vote, SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson David Linden MP said:
“Boris Johnson must perform an eleventh-hour U-turn on these devastating Tory plans to slash the incomes of almost half a million Scottish families by £1040.
“The UK is already suffering from a growing Tory poverty crisis, with the worst levels of poverty and inequality in north west Europe – and the highest levels of in-work poverty this century, as a direct result of Tory cuts and tax hikes.
“Low and middle income workers are being hammered by this out of touch Tory government – who are stamping out any chance of a fair recovery from covid by imposing Tory austerity 2.0.
“If the Tories go ahead with these cuts, they will leave thousands of families in every part of Scotland worse off and push many into poverty and crisis.
“While the SNP government is putting money into people’s pockets, with progressive measures like the Scottish Child Payment, the Tories are snatching it away again by imposing damaging cuts.
“The SNP will continue to press for a U-turn but ultimately the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts is to become an independent country, with the full powers needed to build a strong, fair and equal recovery.”
