Labour's cynical attempt at concession on social security cuts
Disabled people wake up every day in fear of what the UK Government will announce next. The news that their cruel social security cuts will only affect new recipients is not a U-turn. It is a sad and cynical attempt at concession following a rebellion of Labour MPs, and it will still have a horrific impact on the lives of disabled people across the UK.
Several Labour MPs, including the majority of Scottish Labour MPs, backed Keir Starmer’s plans to cut the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and health-based Universal Credit for disabled claimants. In 2021 the BBC collated press reports naming 82 benefit claimants who had died since 2012 after alleged Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) activity such as termination of benefits.
Also in 2021 a BBC investigation included the case of Errol Graham who starved to death in 2018 after his benefits were stopped when he failed to attend a work capability assessment due to his ill health. Even the former Conservative welfare secretary Iain Duncan Smith resigned following the publication of a similar plan to Labour’s saying that it would be “indefensible” and that “top slicing never works”. Following the backlash there appeared to be a deal made between Starmer and over 100 MPs who rebelled which confirmed that people already in receipt of PIP and UC will continue as normal. It will only be new claimants facing harsh eligibility assessments which will see people go without the crucial support they need. This is not good enough. How does this help people who acquire disabilities in later life? How does this help people who are disabled in accidents? Anyone can become disabled in their lifetime, and with our ageing population, more and more people will experience disability in old age. Starmer has created a two-tier benefits system. It’s astonishing that a Labour Government would contemplate such cruel and inhuman cuts at all. However, we’ve seen over the past 11 months of Starmer in No.10 that he’s nothing more than a Tory in Labour clothing. We don’t know how these reforms will impact our society long term. But we do know now that disabled people are not safe, respected, or supported under Labour in Holyrood or Westminster.
We must keep up the pressure on all governments to reform and respect social security benefits. Greens will always fight against these dangerous austerity measures and make the case for Scotland to build a fairer social security system that treats everyone with dignity and respect.
Lorna Slater is Scottish Green Party co-leader