According to reports, chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning significant cuts to disability benefits managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
A prominent disability charity, meanwhile, has issued a warning that the proposed reductions could lead to “disastrous consequences” for disabled individuals throughout the UK.
David Southgate, policy manager at Scope, a charity advocating for disability equality, said benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) serve as “a lifeline” for those with disabilities.
READ MORE: SNP Budget to pass as Anas Sarwar confirms Scottish Labour will abstain on vote
The Scottish Greens social justice spokesperson, Maggie Chapman, hit out at recent decisions made by Keir Starmer’s party including cutting Winter Fuel Payments, keeping the two child benefit cap and refusing compensation for WASPI women.
“It is people with the least who are paying the biggest price for this Labour Government,” the MSP said.
“Labour promised change but what they are offering is a continuation of the same cruel and unnecessary Tory policies that have already done so much damage. Now they are imposing cuts and policies that they have spent the last 14 years telling us they are against, with reports of far more to come. Is this what they meant when they campaigned for change?”
(Image: Christian Gamauf)
Chapman (above) then challenged Sarwar and Scottish Labour to take a stand against the proposed move.
“During the election Anas Sarwar could not have been clearer. He told us to ‘read his lips’ and promised that there would be no more austerity under Labour,” she said.
Chapman then asked: “Did he know what was coming or has he been taken for a fool by Keir Starmer?
“Anas Sarwar represents some of the most marginalised and deprived communities in our country. It is time for him to take a stand and make clear that Scottish Labour MPs were elected by promising an end to austerity and that they will not back further cuts.
“Austerity is a choice. By asking the wealthiest to pay a bit more we could lift the two child cap, bring back Winter Fuel Payments and do so much more to build the kind of fairer and better country that Labour is supposed to be committed to delivering.”
The MSP then pointed to research from the Tax Justice Network, which found that a 1% annual wealth tax on net assets over £10 million could raise almost £10 billion a year while only affecting the richest 0.4% of the population.
Chapman said: “A humane and supportive social security system can change lives. We have seen that with the Scottish Child Payment which has been one of the most important anti-poverty policies anywhere in Europe.
“That’s the kind of initiative we need to see from the UK government, rather than them constantly making us use very limited resources to offset and mitigate their cuts.
“With the powers of a normal country we could do so much more to end the years of cuts and austerity and lift children and families out of poverty.”
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.