Read my lips, this is austerity 2.0

John Swinney of the SNP, left, and Anas Sarwar of Labour take part in BBC Scotland's UK General Election Debate at The University Of Glasgow in June 2024 (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

I can still picture Anas Sarwar shouting, “Read my lips – there will be no austerity under Labour” during the national TV debate in the last General Election.

Yet, the UK Government’s latest welfare cuts will hit the most vulnerable the hardest – pensioners, WASPI women, and now disabled people. Who will be next on the chopping block? The £5 billion worth of cuts aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; they mean real hardship, forcing many into poverty, food insecurity and isolation.

For Scotland, the impact is severe. While social security is devolved, Scotland’s budget is controlled by Westminster through the Barnett Formula. That means when the UK Government slashes spending, Scotland’s share is automatically reduced. This undermines Scotland’s ability to support those in need, making it harder to provide essential benefits and services.

So much for devolution when the purse strings remain firmly in Westminster’s grip. Instead of the promised “change”, Labour is running on the Tory playbook. They’ve refused to commit to reversing these cuts and challenging the public to watch on helplessly. All things absent from their 2024 manifesto.

Remember this is a political choice. A choice not to tax the wealthy but punish the poor. They are showing us exactly whose side they are on – and it isn’t yours. Meanwhile, here in Edinburgh, SNP councillors pushed a motion to stand against these cuts and advocate for residents. The response? We were told – it’s not the place for councillors to be advocating for residents and we must instead leave these issues for the “big wigs” of Westminster.

This also comes on top of Edinburgh’s new Health and Social Care strategy – soon to be finalised. If you have not seen this paper, demand to see this now! The words “wellbeing” and “preventative measures” have been systematically removed. The consultation only ran for a mere 12 weeks, yet the consequences of these cuts will last far longer.

This coupled with Westminster cuts looks like austerity. If it looks like austerity, walks like austerity, and talks like austerity… We all know it, we’ve been here before, read my lips: this is austerity 2.0.

Simita Kumar is SNP group leader on Edinburgh City Council