THE SNP have accused Labour of “pushing families into poverty” after an analysis revealed that almost 1600 households in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have been impacted by the Bedroom Tax, a policy supported by the party.
After a successful recall petition removed former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier from the seat, both parties launched their campaigns in Rutherglen on Wednesday morning.
And now, SNP candidate Katy Loudon has accused Labour of “costing Scotland millions of pounds” by supporting the Bedroom Tax.
The cruel policy reduces the amount of Universal Credit (UC) or housing benefit paid out to claimants if they have a spare bedroom in a rented council or housing association property.
The SNP used the latest data from the UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to reveal that 2338 households in receipt of housing benefits in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have had their housing benefits cut due to the policy, as of February 2023.
And, as of September 2022, 1583 households in receipt of UC in the Westminster constituency area have also had their housing benefit cuts cut due to the bedroom tax.
Loudon (pictured below) has warned that "any Labour candidate willing to stand on this platform is actively campaigning to push children and families into poverty".
"The pro-Brexit Labour Party are pushing families into poverty and costing Scotland millions of pounds, by refusing to scrap the callous bedroom tax,” Loudon said.
"This is yet another broken promise from Sir Keir Starmer, who's party are becoming indistinguishable from the Tories.
“In contrast, the SNP Scottish Government continues to spend tens of millions of pounds protecting families across Scotland by mitigating policies like the bedroom tax – all while having one hand tied behind its back.
"Voters should be in no doubt that any Labour candidate willing to stand on this platform is actively campaigning to push children and families into poverty.
"Only the SNP are offering the voters of Rutherglen and Hamilton West a real alternative with independence - which would rid Scotland of policies like the bedroom tax once and for all."
Labour’s candidate for Rutherglen and Hamilton West attempted to distance himself from party leader Keir Starmer’s comments on the two-child benefit cap and Bedroom Tax at his own campaign launch event on Wednesday.
Shanks (pictured below) said he was opposed to both policies, but on the Bedroom Tax suggested Labour might be unable to get rid of it while trying to balance the books, should the party win power.
“I don’t think the Bedroom Tax is a good idea and I would be campaigning against that,” he said.
“But the reality is we’re going to inherit an economic mess from the Conservative party and it’s right that an incoming Labour government is responsible with fiscal policy.
“We can’t just announce spending commitments before we’ve decided where the money would come from.”
We told how Loudon insisted that voters in the constituency were more concerned about local issues than the SNP finance probe, after she was asked by journalists about the police investigation looming over the campaign.
