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SNP manifesto demands end to benefit freeze and Universal Credit reform
The Scottish National Party (SNP) will campaign in Westminster to halt Universal Credit and end the benefit freeze, according to the party’s general election manifesto.
Launched today, the manifesto said the party will also demand the abolition of the so-called bedroom tax and the introduction of a period of benefit level increases at least in line with inflation.
According to the SNP, the UK government’s welfare cuts will have resulted in a £3.7bn loss to Scottish people by 2021 and have led to the Scottish government spending around £100m a year “to protect people from the worst aspects of Tory policies”.
Nicola Sturgeon’s party branded the six-benefits-in-one Universal Credit system “shambolic” and said that its Westminster MPs will push for the system’s roll-out to be halted while changes are made.
While housing is devolved to the Scottish government, welfare policy remains within Westminster’s control.
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The manifesto also promises that elected SNP MPs will press the government to work with the mortgage industry to identify a viable solution to homeowners seeking to move but unable to get a mortgage because of issues with cladding.
A change in approach to housing asylum seekers will also be demanded. SNP MPs will seek to introduce a legal duty on providers that there will be no lock changes in eviction cases.
Earlier this month, Scotland’s highest court ruled that lock change evictions in the case of failed asylum seekers were lawful, the latest development in the ongoing dispute over housing asylum seekers in Glasgow.
The SNP’s manifesto also includes a pledge to demand that the UK accelerates its climate change action to meet Scotland’s targets, which would see a 75% reduction of emissions by 2035, net zero carbon emissions no later than 2040 and net zero of all emissions by 2045.
