Scottish Labour Leader Backs Cuts to Disability Benefits
The SNP has said it is clear Anas Sarwar can’t be trusted to keep his promises or stand up for Scotland, after the Scottish Labour leader backed draconian cuts to disabled people.
This despite promising voters he would oppose austerity cuts.
During the election, Anas Sarwar pledged he would ‘stand up to Keir Starmer’ and oppose austerity cuts, promising “Read my lips: No austerity under Labour”.
But since then, Mr Sarwar has failed to stand up to Keir Starmer on a single issue. Instead, he has repeatedly backed Downing Street cuts – or failed to oppose them – including the Labour government’s cuts to the winter fuel payment, international aid, compensation for WASPI women, the continuation of the two child benefit cap, and now £6 billion of cuts to support for disabled people.
Mr Sarwar’s support for the cuts comes despite warnings from disability charities that they will have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on disabled people in Scotland.
On Monday, a coalition of disability and poverty charities, including Disability Rights UK, Scope, Mencap, Mind and Citizens Advice, warned that “making cuts to disability benefits would have a catastrophic impact on disabled people up and down the country. Scope’s analysis of government figures shows that without PIP, a further 700,000 more disabled households could be pushed into poverty. Life costs more for disabled people. Huge numbers already live in poverty as a result of these extra costs. The impact of any cuts to disability benefits would be devastating.”
Labour's branch office in Scotland fall into line again.
— Alex Kerr (@AlexKerrSNP) March 11, 2025
This time, it's for a cut to disability benefits that will impact the most vulnerable and lead to a cut in the money being available for Scottish public services.
Shameful. https://t.co/z89NJYlXsD
It’s clear Anas Sarwar can’t be trusted to keep his promises or stand up for Scotland. By backing draconian cuts to disabled people, Mr Sarwar has shown his words are worthless.
SNP ECONOMY SPOKESPERSON & ANGUS MP, DAVE DOOGAN
During the election, he promised voters he would oppose austerity cuts, and stand up to Keir Starmer, but instead he has rolled over every single time the Labour government swings the axe.
The Labour Party is punching down on the poorest by taking money away from people with disabilities, which will push thousands of Scots into poverty and slash the Scottish Government’s budget.
No one will take Mr Sarwar seriously if he won’t even defend the most vulnerable Scots from attacks by his Westminster bosses. It shows, yet again, Scottish Labour is just a branch office – there to do Westminster’s bidding.
The truth is, we’re all paying the price for the mess the Labour Party has made of the economy. Under Keir Starmer, families are paying higher energy and food bills, pensioners have lost their winter fuel payments, small business owners have been hit by National Insurance tax hikes, and now disabled people are losing vital support. This isn’t the change Scotland was promised.
It’s being reported that 700,000 disabled people will be pushed into poverty as a result of likely cuts by the Labour Party.
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) March 10, 2025
Is this the ‘change’ you were promised?
