We’re not better off in broken Britain - Christine Grahame

Many senior citizens are worried at the loss of winter fuel payments

For a start Pension Credit is a disgrace as it is a declaration that the state pension is not enough. Indeed UK pensioners have one of the worst pensions in Europe. But back to the Pension Credit and the fact that some 40 per cent of pensioners do not claim it and never have for at least a decade.

Labour knew that as much as I do and that would be factored in to the projected savings. I know some pensioners think that they could do without and believe that the money should be directed to those who are more deserving.

Two comments. It was always open, as it was to me, to donate my winter fuel payment to local charities, which I did. Rather that than send it back to the UK Treasury. The other is that there are not any “savings”.

The money will be swallowed up into that £20 billion black hole. A black hole of £18bn pre-election was predicted by the Office of Budget Responsibility (independent) and indeed the First Minister.

Labour must think we are zipped up the back. They knew. Anas Sarwar, Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, proclaimed: “Read my lips, no austerity under Labour.” Well I ken austerity when I see it and it’s in the here and now. Labour is continuing Tory austerity.

What happened when a vote was put to the UK Government to reverse the punitive attack on pensioners? All 37 Scottish Labour MPs supported the cut. Do any of them have a backbone? Of course not, some even had the cheek to call on the Scottish Government to make up the difference to the tune of £160 million a year. Yet that money had been whipped back just as it was in Wales and Northern Ireland.

As I write, today is the 10th Anniversary of the 2014 Referendum when we were told we would be “Better Together”. Are we, with broken Britain? Are our pensioners better off? They were told in that referendum that they would lose their pension if they voted “yes”.

Well they have lost their winter fuel payments in an energy rich Scotland but with temperatures in the winter well below those of the Home Counties where these decisions are made. How things could have been so different if 10 years ago Scotland had regained its Independence, respecting our pensioners by for a start providing a decent state pension.

Christine Grahame is MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale