SNP MP David Linden has reacted after ZERO Labour MPs attended his debate on the impact of the cost of living crisis in Scotland.
We previously told how the Glasgow East MP secured a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday to discuss how the ongoing crisis is affecting households across the country.
The issue was first raised by Linden’s colleague Anne McLaughlin who took to Twitter/X to slate Labour MPs for failing to make an appearance.
Really important debate from @DavidLinden in House of Commons today. It was about how the cost of living is affecting YOU the people of Scotland but not a single Labour MP showed up. Seriously? You still expect Scotland to believe you care? pic.twitter.com/jP82kgjwKm
— Anne McLaughlin SNP MP (@AnneMcLaughlin) January 9, 2024
Reacting to the news, Linden told The National: “It is disappointing that both Labour and the Tories were absent from a debate on the cost of living crisis in Scotland and makes clear that the issue is low on their priority list. Only the SNP can be trusted to stand up for Scotland.”
During the debate, Linden raised a number of issues including housing costs, food poverty and the mental health impacts of the cost of living crisis.
“With countless families and businesses suffering under the Westminster made cost of living crisis, politicians should be doing everything in their power to hold the UK Tory government to account and push for them to deliver financial support for people,” Linden added.
“The SNP Scottish government is doing what it can to support people through this crisis by freezing council tax, protecting Scottish households from Westminster’s cruel bedroom tax and housing benefit cap, and through the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start grants.”
Linden echoed many of the thoughts expressed by McLaughlin, who took aim at Labour MPs in a video posted on Twitter/X.
“I’m absolutely furious. It was a debate about the cost of living and its impact on Scotland. Guess how many people from the Labour Party turned up? Guess how many Labour MPs turned up? None. Not a single one,” she said.
Scottish Tory MP John Lamont was at the debate although McLaughlin also hit out at him for his conduct.
“And then you got their colleagues in the Tory Party responding. The minister responded. Guess how many interventions he took? A few. Guess how many of those were SNP interventions? None.”
It’s not the first time Labour have failed to turn up for a debate on the cost of living.
We previously told how SNP MP Peter Grant claimed a number of Labour backbenchers were sat in the “tea room” during a cost of living debate last May.
