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The National
an hour ago
- Politics
- The National
SNP minister hits out at Labour Government's welfare cuts
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart's comments came as she launched the Scottish Government's Disability Equality Plan in Glasgow on Friday, a report which aims to put disabled people's experiences and concerns at the centre of policymaking. The plan – which has been in the making since 2016 – looks to improve access to mental health, advice and support services, as well as funding training for policymakers and leaders to build understanding of the issues facing disabled people. READ MORE: Independent MPs table amendment to scrap 'disgusting' welfare bill It also sets out plans to have an annual "Cabinet Takeover", where disabled people will be given a "direct platform" to speak to ministers. As she launched the review, Stewart said she was "firmly opposed" to the UK Government's approach, as she called on Labour to "follow our lead" and protect the welfare system "rather than dismantling it". "At a time when the UK Government's welfare reforms appear to be driven more by cost cutting than by compassion, and balancing the books at the expense of disabled people, let me be frank: Scotland will not, by any means, mirror that approach," she said at the launch. The Labour Government is preparing to push through its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which – among other things – would change the eligibility criteria for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) disability benefit. The UK Government's own analysis has found that the cuts would push 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children. Speaking to The National, Stewart reaffirmed the Scottish Government's commitment to a welfare system based on the principles of "dignity, fairness and respect". She said: "In Scotland, we're very proud that we support the social model when it comes to addressing disabled people. "That means that we work very hard to make sure that the environment and the society that they live within – the barriers lie there, we have to limit those barriers, and that includes providing welfare support." READ MORE: BBC issues correction after Debate Night 'bias' on eve of by-election She added that the UK Government's approach "appears to be doing the opposite, by making even further hurdles and undignified and demeaning processes to put off disabled people from claiming what is actually their right". "If you look at Personal Independence Payments, for example, those are very demeaning processes," Stewart continued. "Often disabled people have long-term conditions, they shouldn't have to go through those additional and humiliating experiences to explain time and time again. "Where's the dignity in that?" Stewart said the Scottish Government was "not following that model". She said: "We believe in empowerment, we believe in supporting all of our citizens, and that includes disabled people. "The UK Government should do the same." Labour are facing anger from MPs on both sides of the benches over the cuts, with a significant number of their own MPs set to oppose them. Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft resigned from her position as a Government whip over the planned cuts, which she said were not "part of the solution" to the growing welfare bill. MPs are set to debate the UK Government's welfare proposals on July 1.
Bloomberg
7 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Insolvencies Jump to 11-Month High as UK's Tax Hikes Take Toll
The number of companies going bust in England and Wales rose to the highest in 11 months as firms struggled with the Labour government's tax hikes and a broader slowdown in the economy. Insolvencies rose to 2,238 in May, a 15% jump from a year earlier, the government's Insolvency Service said on Friday.
Zawya
11 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
UK budget deficit undershoots against official expectations
LONDON - Britain's government borrowed less over the first two months of the 2025/26 financial year than official budget forecasters had expected, helped by an influx of taxes paid by businesses after a recent hike in social security contributions. Official data on Friday showed public sector borrowing for May stood at 17.686 billion pounds ($23.84 billion) in May. While a Reuters poll of economists showed a median forecast of 17.1 billion pounds, the government has borrowed 37.7 billion pounds over the first two months of 2025/26 - less than the 40.7 billion pounds the Office for Budget Responsibility had predicted. Friday's figures from the Office for National Statistics provided an early indication of the impact of a significant increase in employer social security payments - known in Britain as National Insurance contributions (NICs) - which took effect in April and are paid a month in arrears. A major source of funding for the Labour government's spending plans, the ONS said compulsory social security contributions in April and May combined were 30.2 billion pounds - a little less than the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted but still a record in cash terms. Compared with the same period in 2024, social security contributions were up 17.5% - the biggest such rise in three years. ($1 = 0.7447 pounds) (Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by William James)
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on HS2 delays: a chance to break the cycle of costly failure
One day there will be a high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham. Maybe. Not soon. When HS2 was first proposed, an opening date for the first phase was planned for December 2026. After multiple delays and cost overruns, a revised target of 2033 was set. That is no longer realistic, according to Heidi Alexander. The transport secretary told MPs on Wednesday that two more years are likely to be required, blaming the last Conservative government for mismanaging the whole project and wasting billions of pounds in the process. The record is indeed dismal and, while HS2 was originally conceived in the last days of a Labour government, the systemic failure to bring it to fruition has happened under successive Tory prime ministers. Citing the findings of two new reviews into the scheme, Ms Alexander highlighted inadequate ministerial oversight as a consistent problem. Construction contracts were signed that failed to give value for money and, it is alleged, may have enabled fraud. The cost has ballooned while the ambition has shrunk. Originally there was to be a whole high-speed network, extending north from Birmingham to Crewe and branching into the East Midlands. Meanwhile, the budget has soared. In 2012, phase one was forecast to cost £20bn. That rose over the ensuing decade to £57bn and the latest estimates are closer to £100bn. HS2 is a case study not in why the state shouldn't build major infrastructure, but in how it must do so better. Opponents of HS2 – and it has had many from its inception – feel vindicated in having warned that it was a money pit and a folly. These concerns are not trivial – nor should they be casually brushed aside. Infrastructure must serve the future, not scar it. That means designing and delivering projects that respect both nature and people. But the benefit of the new line is not just in getting people to their destination faster but also freeing up capacity on the existing route. Although there is much to regret about the way HS2 has evolved so far, the case for aborting it is flawed, amounting to defence of a plainly inadequate status quo. Laying tracks and digging tunnels is environmentally disruptive, but railways are ultimately a more sustainable way to move volumes of people around than roads. Every precedent from modern transport history says the alternative to HS2 is not more green pasture but more cars. London and Birmingham are not far apart, nor are they separated by vast mountains. High‑speed railways are not an experimental 21st-century technology. Other European countries have networks covering thousands of kilometres. It is embarrassing that the UK has managed just one line, from London to the Channel tunnel, opened in 2007. Ms Alexander is right that the last government mismanaged HS2, but that failure also expressed a deeper malaise in the capacity of the British state to modernise. Pressing ahead with HS2 must mark a turning point: embracing greener construction, tighter cost control and democratic engagement. If lessons are learned, HS2 can still be salvaged and become a model – not a cautionary tale – for public infrastructure.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Gregor Poynton MP meets UK Veterans Minister to raise plight of Linburn Veterans and Scotland's Military Museum
Gregor Poynton, MP for the Livingston constituency, has today met with the UK Labour Government's Veterans Minister, Al Carns, to highlight the urgent situation facing residents at the Linburn Park in West Lothian. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... At the meeting in Westminster, Mr Poynton outlined the distress caused by Sight Scotland Veterans' plans to sell parts of the Linburn Estate and pressed the Minister to explore what support the UK Government can provide to protect veterans and their families affected by the decision. The Linburn Estate has long been home to veterans, including many elderly and disabled former service personnel, who now face uncertainty about their future housing after the charity's decision to sell the site. The estate is also home to Scotland's Military Museum, and its future is similarly at risk unless a new location can be secured. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Poynton emphasised the importance of finding a solution that keeps residents in secure, appropriate housing and preserves Scotland's military heritage. The UK Labour Government recently announce a new consumer charter for families in Miliary Homes and additional funding to support veterans. Me Poynton said: 'I am working closely with the UK Government to find a solution that delivers for Linburn's residents. It is vital that we see real pace, urgency and joint working between governments to support veterans and their families. Sight Scotland Veterans Charity and I are still waiting for a response from the Scottish Government's Veterans Minister on what action he will take, and time is of the essence. "I am also seeking to visit the estate soon to meet on site with Sight Scotland Veterans, to learn more about the vital services that will continue, to speak directly with affected residents, and to explore options for the future of Scotland's Military Museum. I'm committed to working with all partners to help secure a future for the museum in West Lothian and ensure we continue our proud military links. "Our veterans and their families deserve nothing less than decisive action and long-term support. Labour in government is determined to deliver for those who have served our country.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
