Treat people with respect

Sir, – A few days before the SNP landslide of 2015, I invited and accompanied both Chris Law and Stewart Hosie on a visit to Dundee Foodbank where I introduced them to men and women whose lives had been directly affected by the rollout of Universal Credit.

While in Westminster, I asked both of them to keep the stories they heard at the forefront of their minds and I was reassured by Stefan Morkis’s coverage of the story (“Dundee MPs call for UK to halt Universal Credit rollout”, Courier, June 1), which suggests they have done so.

The first time I heard about Universal Credit was while working for the foodbank charity, The Trussell Trust, and I met a well-paid tree surgeon who had given up work due to a serious injury.

He applied for benefits having exhausted his savings and was told he would have to wait for six weeks for his first payment.

He sat with his lights out and his radiator off so he could pay for his daughter’s karate lessons when she came to stay with him at the weekends.

This is completely undignified when 70 years ago, William Beveridge, the founder of the Welfare State argued for universal welfare provision saying: “Adventure comes not from the half-starved but those who were well fed enough to feel ambition.”

Beveridge envisioned a system that was intended to mobilise, not demobilise, and I am delighted that Dundee has a similar vision and will provide a home for Scotland’s new and forthcoming social security system that will endeavour to treat people by the principles of dignity, fairness and respect.

Ewan Gurr. 73 Dykehead Place, Dundee.