Closure plan vote dodge slammedas ‘nonsense’

Political Correspondent THE Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP) is to delay announcing a decision on closing Jobcentres in Glasgow until after the General Election.

A response to the consultation on three of the city Jobcentres earmarked for the axe was due on Tuesday this week.

However, it has been confirmed to the Evening Times that government ministers will not be making any statement until after the election on June 8.

This takes the required 12-week response period to more than 19 weeks.

When asked by the Evening Times when the response would be published as the deadline had now passed, a DWP spokeswoman said: “The election period means it’s not appropriate that we respond during this time. We will respond in due course.”

However, a Glasgow MP who has been campaigning against the closures said it was “nonsense”.

Stewart McDonald, Glasgow South SNP MP, asked the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, last week if there was any reason why the government couldn’t respond before the Parliament is dissolved on May 4. Mr Bercow replied simply: “No”. The DWP would have seven working days after the deadline THE UK Government must make a decision on Jobcentres before the election. Hiding behind rules that don’t apply for another week is cowardly.

Cross-party MPs have told them to re-assess the whole city network. The current plans will hit the poorest hardest and should be halted now. before Parliament is dissolved. Mr McDonald – who has two Jobcentres in his constituency which have been earmarked for closure, Castlemilk and Langside – said people have a right to know before they vote in the election.

He said: “Voters have a right to know this decision before the election. To ask voters to go to the polls not knowing what is happening with the Jobcentres is a nonsense.” The revelation comes a day after the Scottish Affairs Committee told the DWP their plans were lacking in strategy and a fresh look at the city’s Jobcentres and the needs of claimants should be carried out.

The committee, which includes Labour, Conservative and SNP MPs, agreed that the plan was “opportunistic”.

The announcement of proposals to close seven Jobcentres in Glasgow plus Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire was made in December last year before the Christmas holiday period, sparking anger from opposition politiciancs and in commuities across the city.

A consultation on Bridgeton, Castlemilk and Maryhill Jobcentres be- gan, because the alternative centres were further than the DWP walking or public transport guidelines.

Bridgeton services are to be moved to Shettleston, Castlemilk to Newlands and Maryhill to Springburn.

The others to close are Anniesland, moving to Partick; Easterhouse and Parkhead which will move to Shettleston and Langside, also moving to Newlands.

The Evening Times launched a Hands Off Our Jobcentres campaign arguing for the plans to be halted, highlighting the extra distance and cost involved.

It has been backed by politicians, charities, community groups and celebrities including I, Daniel Blake director Ken Loach.