Highland MSP Emma Roddick condemns ’dangerous rethoric’ on disability benefits as UK government set to announce cuts
A Highland MSP condemned the “dangerous” rhetoric around disability payments during a Holyrood debate on UK welfare cuts and their impact in Scotland.
SNP MSP Emma Roddick said that recent talks by Conservatives and Labour parties in the UK about the need to cut the benefits bill by getting people on disability benefits ‘back into work’ is ‘terrifying’ disabled people who could see vital support cut.
This comes as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to announce plans to cut benefits by up to £6bn after stating that too many people were “tacking the mickey”.
The move could tighten eligibility criteria for the Personal Independent Payment (PIP), which provides people with long-term physical or mental health condition or disability with support for extra living costs, as well as changes to Universal Credit to incentivize employment, and it was backed by Scottish Labour representatives as well as the Conservative party.
A motion seeking to condemn the intention to proceed with the “punitive” welfare reforms was presented by SNP MSP Marie McNair.
Replying to Conservative Stephen Kerr MSP, who argued that there are “too many people able to work” but who have “chosen not to engage in employment”, Ms Roddick said: “It’s important that we call out this dangerous rhetoric as often as possible.
“I am disgusted that Labour has chosen to follow the Tories in monstering disabled people. Constantly, we hear politicians from the Conservatives and Labour parties talk about the need to cut the benefits bill by getting people on disability benefits ‘back into work’ - but disability benefits do not mean out-of-work benefits.
“Many disabled people are able to work, or already in work, but it’s harder to make work pay when you have the extra cost of disability. Families caring for disabled children, in work or not, deserve better than to have the threat of their money being taken away hanging over their heads.
“Politicians in all parties have a duty to protect their most vulnerable constituents, and you cannot do that if you play into easy but dangerous rhetoric on disability benefits.
“The more difficult, but correct, route is to focus on making workplaces more inclusive to disabled people and parents of disabled children - and making work pay by outlawing dodgy fire-and-rehire practices and paying below a living wage. I hope that the Conservatives and Labour will stop their race to the bottom of employment rights and instead focus on making the country a better place to work in - disabled or not.”
