ANAS Sarwar has been urged to whip Scottish Labour MPs to vote against welfare cuts which are expected to push 50,000 children into poverty.
The Scottish Labour leader faces calls from the SNP to outline whether he will force his MPs to oppose the measures in the UK Government’s welfare bill which was published on Wednesday.
According to the UK Government’s own analysis, changes to Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit will plunge 250,000 people into poverty – including 50,000 children.
Labour have faced accusations they are balancing the nation’s books “on the backs of the poorest in society” but Sarwar has defended the plans.
He previously told The Scotsman: “Even with these changes that are being announced, welfare spending is projected to go up across the UK and go up in Scotland. That is not austerity, it is the very opposite of austerity.”
But the changes remain controversial, with The Guardian reporting earlier this week that Government officials have admitted privately that framing the cuts in financial terms was a mistake, after initially announcing the cuts would save £5 billion.
Collette Stevenson, the SNP MSP for East Kilbride, said: “Labour’s planned disability cuts are a shameful imitation of Tory austerity measures that Labour promised to end. It is appalling that Keir Starmer is happy to continue Tory cuts that will plunge hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people into poverty.
“Anas Sarwar must come clean: will he instruct his MPs back these brutal cuts, or will he finally stand up for Scotland’s most vulnerable?”
She highlighted past comments from Sarwar, in which the Scottish Labour leader “promised to stand up to Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland's interest” but added that he had “failed to do so”.
Stevenson added: “Voters deserve to know where Scottish Labour stands on the latest round of austerity from Westminster.
“The SNP will fight these cuts every step of the way and continue to push for the full powers of independence to build a fairer, more compassionate Scotland.”
Scottish Labour were approached for comment.
