Tories could back ‘large family supplement’ plan
Sturgeon hits out at election U-turnbyPM
THE Scottish Conservatives could back the introduction of a “large family supplement” aimed at overcoming child tax credit restrictions in Scotland, the party’s leader Ruth Davidson has said.
UK Government reforms to the welfare system which came into force in April mean child tax credits are now capped at two children.
A clause in the new rules means mothers who have a third child as a result of rape can be exempted but would have to provide evidence in order to do so.
The so-called rape clause has caused a political row north of the border and has been described as “disgusting” by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Ms Davidson has defended the policy and stated the Scottish Government could use its welfare powers to propose a new benefit to provide funding for families with more than two children.
Asked about such a measure at the launch of her local government manifesto in Edinburgh, Ms Davidson said: “No matter which political party you are in, nobody supports children born of rape being affected by the twochild cap, that’s why an exemp- tion has been put in place.
“Some parties disagree with the idea that child tax credits should be limited to the first two children – that is a perfectly legitimate position to be in and we can have that debate.
“I think it is disingenuous when you have the powers to change that but chose not to, to attack others who do support it.
“The SNP have a huge wealth of welfare powers and could absolutely introduce say a large family supplement, or whatever you wanted to call it, that would mean that third and subsequent children weren’t affected by child tax credit restrictions.
“As with any legislation that came to the Scottish Parliament ... we would give it due consideration. It is something that we certainly would look at.”
The party will run a separate campaign for the two ballots, its message of opposition to a second independence referendum will be prominent in both.
The Tory leader said the council elections will also provide an indication of the parties’ standings going into the general election.
“There is going to be something that is bigger than any poll conducted, there’s going to be a local government election vote, and I think you’ll see our vote go up,” she said.
“That’ll give us a springboard into the general election in June.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already accused the Prime Minister of calling the snap vote to ‘’force through a hard Brexit and impose deeper cuts’’.
TPolitical Correspondent HERESA May has called a General Election in the interests to the Tory Party not the country, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister accused the Prime Minister of trying to “crush” opposition to her Brexit plan.
MPs voted yesterday to approve the plan for an election on June 8 just two years after the last election, and three years early, with the parliament not due to end until 2020.
Ms May said she changed her mind with the looming Brexit talks in mind.
The First Minister however, said the decision to seek an early election, after repeatedly stating she had no intention of doing so, was purely for party political advantage.
Opinion polls put the Tories 20 points ahead of Labour and she is expected to increase her majority from 17.
Ms Sturgeon said: “Yesterday, it became clear beyond doubt that, for Theresa May, party comes before country. For months the Prime Minister has said that a snap, early election was, in her view, the last thing the country needed.
“Now was not the time, she said, to be distracted from the job at hand.” The First Minister said Ms May wants to seize the opportunity to strengthen her power before people become more concerned about the Brexit plan as its implications emerge.
Ms Sturgeon added: “But yesterday, she changed her mind, not for the good of the country, but for simple party advantage.
“Her motive is clear. She knows that as the terms of her hard Brexit become clearer, the deep misgivings that so many people already have will increase and grow. So she wants to act now to crush the parliamentary opposition that she faces. Labour’s self-inflicted weakness has presented the excuse.”
The Prime Minister easily secured the two thirds of MPs needed to approve the early election with 522 voting in favour and just 13 against. The SNP MPs abstained in the vote.
Nine Labour MPs voted against holding the election along with three independent MPs and one SDLP MP.
Ms May said the election was about “leadership and stability” ahead of the Brexit talks.
She said to wait until the scheduled date of 2020 would mean a campaign getting underway as the Brexit talks were reaching the conclusion.
She also said a strong mandate for her as Prime Minister and her plan to take Britain out of the EU would strengthen the UK in the negotiations with the EU.
The campaign effectively started once the Prime Minister announced her intention to seek Parliament approval for the election outside 10 Downing Street.
Ms Sturgeon travelled to London to be pictured with SNP MPs ahead of the Prime Minister’s statement in the House of Commons and the subsequent vote.
While Ms May wants a personal mandate from a UK majority for the Tories, Ms Sturgeon said a victory north of the border for the SNP strengthens her case for a second referendum, for which the Prime Minister has refused permission.
She added: “Make no mistake, if the SNP wins this election in Scotland, and the Tories don’t, then Theresa May’s attempt to block our mandate to hold another referendum when the time is right, will crumble to dust.”
Kezia Dugdale, Labour Scottish leader, was also in London meeting with UK party leader Jeremy Corbyn and attending the party’s National Executive Committee.
Ms Dugdale said the election was about who governs the United Kingdom.
She said: “This is a UK-wide election that will have major implications for Scotland, and only Labour or the Tories can form the next government.
“Only by voting Labour can we get rid of Theresa May and stop further cuts to public services.
“Scottish Labour will be putting forward a positive vision for a fairer UK that rejects both the Tories’ plans for a hard Brexit and the SNP’s plans for a divisive second independence referendum.”
The parties have begun the process of selecting the candidates for the poll in seven weeks time.
Ms Dugdale has started writing to Labour members asking them if they would like to consider being a candidate.
Labour is asking defeated candidates from the 2015 election if they wish to stand again which includes seven in Glasgow who lost their seats to the SNP.
Some high-profile MPs will be standing down at the election. Former Chancellor George Osborne will not be seeking re-election to his Tatton Constituency after he took up a post as editor of the Evening Standard paper in London as well as other jobs.
Labour’s former, Home Secretary, Alan Johnson announced he would not be seeking re-election.
Meanwhile, former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke, who initially said he would step down in 2020 before the next election, has said he will be standing in June. He has been an MP since 1970.