The case of Maxwell Quinton is tragic yet sadly not surprising.
Vulnerable people across Scotland deserve to be looked after by the state without having financial anxieties looming over their heads.
There are too many people like Maxi who are pushed to the limit by a Tory Government in Westminster who seem incapable of looking out for the most vulnerable.
Their priority appears to be helping those who already have enough – think PPE contracts to rich party donors and the inability to crack down on tax avoidance.
Maxi wasn’t a chancer who tried to cheat the system. He suffered from sciatica, COPD, depression and a blood disorder.
But he’s not the only person who has suffered due to the harsh Tory cuts to the benefits system.
Paul Sweeney, elected as a Scottish Labour MSP earlier this month, had to rely on Universal Credit throughout much of lockdown and has spoken at length about the toll the benefits system took on his mental health.
If people are experiencing suicidal thoughts because of the cuts to their benefits and struggling to get by then that means only one thing – the system is broken.
The cuts to benefits are hitting people on the lowest income instead of helping them.
We need a system, and government, that is based not on punishment but on dignity and respect.
Only then will we truly care for the most vulnerable and give the rest a hand up.
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