Mood of anation captured perfectly
Demo against Tories’ tax credit disgrace
Hundreds join protest over Tory government’s tax credits ‘rape clause’
HUNDREDS of people joined a demonstration against the hated rape clause yesterday.
The rally in Edinburgh marked the first anniversary of the child tax credit rule being brought in.
The issue is back on the political agenda after Work and Pensions Minister Esther McVey’s astonishing comments to MSPs this week.
She claimed the rape clause could give victims “double support” as it is “an opportunity to talk”.
Under the clause, women who concieve a child through rape have to provide evidence of the attack to avoid the Tories’ two-child cap on tax credits.
A spokeswoman for the protest said: “The two-child cap is an attack on the very concept of social security as a safety net that is supposed to be ready to catch each and every one of us if we fall.
“This policy blames the poor for their poverty and takes no account of the unpredictability of life.
“Esther McVey’s appearance in front of the Scottish Parliament’s social security committee illustrated the alarming lack of understanding about the complexities and reality of sexual violence.
“No woman should be forced to choose between disclosing rape possibly for the first time ever and poverty. It is a disgrace.
“We cannot get rid of the rape clause without getting rid of the entire two-child cap, so we are clear – they both must go.”
Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale also spoke at the rally.
Under the clause, rape victims will be required to speak to a third-party assessor to access financial support.
Rape Crisis and Scottish Women’s Aid have vowed to boycott the process.
SNP MP Alison Thewliss said: “There remains an overwhelming amount of opposition to the two-child policy and rape clause.”