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Scotsman
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Readers' letters: Labour rebels were elected with a welfare reform mandate
A reader says Rachel Reeves' tears would be understandable if they were about Labour rebels wrecking her work to reform the benefits system 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... If Rachel Reeves had said she was crying because a large section of Labour MPs comprehensively destroyed her and Work and Pension Secretary Liz Kendall's hard, vital work and plans to make a few small steps to reform the benefits system and booted it into the long grass I doubt there'd be so much puerile fuss, including the undertones on BBC Scotland's Morning Call that narrowly avoided diagnosing it as a girlie thing. The truth is these rebels were elected on a manifesto that included welfare reform, so the basics of it were well known – as were the dire financial implications of the current torrent of claims and claimants. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perhaps these two ministers should just have resigned, explained why, precipitated the increasingly inevitable Greece 2009 collapse facing this country and trigger the brutal policies that entails. Rachel Reeves looked visibly tearful as Keir Starmer spoke during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday (Picture: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire) The world has moved on from the draconian undertones of the 1834 Poor Law's 'deserving and undeserving poor' but surely few could disagree with the argument put forward by former Labour MP Tom Harris in the media this week that the objectives of reform should be aimed 'squarely at those who have given up trying to get a job and have decided they would prefer to rely on benefits long-term'. Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Reform imperative Wednesday's backbench rebellion has undermined the Prime Minister's reputation and that of his Chancellor. In effect it has driven a coach and horses through planned savings on welfare of £5 billion and has imperilled the sanctity of the Chancellor's 'fiscal rules'. Politically sensitive tax rises in the Autumn Budget are now a virtual lock-in. Ouch! It's enough to bring tears to the Chancellor's eyes. However, none of this should be allowed to obscure the challenges of welfare reform that remain. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Institute of Fiscal Studies has reported that more than four million people of working age currently receive some kind of health benefit (ten per cent of the workforce). This is expected to rise to around 5.5 million by the end of the Parliament. This is unsustainable! We have a system unfit for purpose, and one which can be easily gamed. The failure of Labour (soft and hard) to acknowledge the consensus around these shortcomings perhaps says more about ideological desires to pursue redistribution policies – albeit by the back door – regardless of the wider social and economic consequences. The inefficiency of the present system is an obvious misuse of scarce public resources. The real injustice here is the diversion of these resources away from those who are most in need of genuine welfare support. Moreover, cost-cutting can never be the primary justification for fundamental change in this sensitive policy area: fundamental reform remains an urgent imperative in and for its own sake! Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire Head over heels The Labour government has made so many U-turns that Keir Starmer doesn't know whether he is standing on his head or his heels, but he has a number of options. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He could resign, which is unlikely, or he could threaten to call a snap election, which would frighten many of his MPs who have got used to their £90k salary, index-linked pension and other freebies, but have Reform UK snapping at their heels. Many welfare recipients have got used to their easy life and in fact have become institutionalised, as the balance between work and welfare is quite narrow and many just don't want the bother of having to work. One easy solution which would not come into force immediately would be to freeze welfare payments just as the the personal tax allowance has been frozen. James Macintyre, Linlithgow, West Lothian Dig deeper Perhaps, the highly gutted Welfare Reform Bill will turn out to be a benefit in disguise for a beleaguered Labour government. With the loathsome moves withdrawn, we're left with a reasonably decent Bill at some cost. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Welfare is not the only aspect of government that is broken. The NHS and education are also stretched to breaking point, and I would suggest that the tax system is broken too. Only defence seems exempt. Rachel Reeves is constrained by her own self-imposed fiscal limits. If they were removed, as the German equivalent was recently, so much that is broken could begin to be repaired. Quite frankly, all of us who can afford it should be paying more tax, and those who can't, less. The Patriotic Millionaires, for example, are desperate to increase their share. For far too long, raising taxes has been the elephant in the room, which has never been a vote winner. Perhaps, just perhaps, it is now. If we could be assured that our increased taxes went towards the urgent repair of our NHS, education and welfare, we'd be prepared, I'm quite sure, to delve deeper into our financial pockets. All three deserve nothing less. Ian Petrie, Edinburgh Forced laughter Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We have all been to that family wedding where unpopular members of the extended family attend whom, normally, we avoid. We engage in the forced laughter, the exaggerated smiles and back slapping to ensure the day is not ruined. Equally risible was that wonderfully over the top public show of support as Rachel Reeves unexpectedly turned up to join Sir Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting at the launch of the ten-year plan for England's NHS in East London. It surely gave 'fake news' new meaning. John V Lloyd, Inverkeithing, Fife Turn back time The election of Keir Starmer with a near-landslide majority last year I considered great news. I confess freely that was mainly because he deflated the SNP. To say I have been disappointed since would be a gross understatement. The trouble is, if I abandon Labour, where could I possibly turn? The Tories are in as bad if not worse a mess; the Lib Dems are wishy-washy and the Greens in Scotland a gender-obsessed joke; the SNP unthinkable. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Can we turn the clock back please to the halcyon days of pre-devolution? Alexander McKay, Edinburgh Critical thinking I was disappointed to read Jenny Lindsay's latest opinion piece: 'Self-righteous zealots driven by hate decided I was a 'genocidal Terf'' (Scotsman, 3 July). Surely Scottish feminism is not this myopic? Without a doubt, the ongoing genocide in Gaza is one of the world's most pressing feminist concerns. Tens of thousands of Palestinian women and girls are being killed, maimed, displaced, bereaved and subjected to sexual violence by Israel's military forces, according to the UN. War is always a feminist issue. Palestinian women at the forefront of their nation's cause are supported by an international network of feminists that stretches all the way to Scotland. In the last few years, I have met so many incredible women from all over the country who are marching, writing, fundraising and speaking out for peace. This is the reality of the pro-Palestinian movement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I know many women are bruised by Scotland's shockingly toxic debate on gender reform in recent years. Like Jenny, I took my fair share of misogynistic abuse as a candidate at the last Scottish Parliament election. I don't doubt people are still saying appalling things to gender critical women on the internet. But social media doesn't represent real people or real movements. Its profit-seeking algorithms feed on and amplify hate and abuse. It's time for Scottish feminists to pull themselves out of the maelstrom. There is so much real work to do. Catriona MacDonald, Glasgow Publicity seekers I don't understand some of the comments amongst readers about Kneecap and Bob Vylan's controversial outbursts during performances at Glastonbury, the latest being Lewis Finnie (Letters, 3 July). The real reason for the behavior of these so-called artists is to draw attention to themselves and seek publicity. They have little interest in the people of Gaza. If they did, they would be actively helping them rather than mouthing off about the IDF. Benjamin Netanyahu and his despotic regime control the IDF and it is they that should be condemned. The BBC should ban airing 'high risk' labelled acts such as Bob Vylan, not just live feeds. With all the publicity, these acts portray themselves as martyrs and gain sympathy amongst the weak-minded. Prancing on a stage and getting fans wound up through hate speech is one thing, it's another to donate their fee to help the Gaza victims or be called out as hypocrites. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Finnie suggests that the war will end with the elimination of Hamas, I would beg to differ. Leaving Netanyahu in power risks a wider conflict in the Middle East and tens of thousands more innocent civilians deaths in another bloodbath. By stating 'yes innocents die' he dismisses the current apocalypse as collateral damage. Really? Neil Anderson, Edinburgh Seating plan On a recent visit to Haymarket station in Edinburgh I was dismayed that the large waiting hall before the ticket barriers had seats for coffee concessions – but not a single public seat for the travelling public or those meeting them. That simply isn't good enough. Christopher Ruane, Lanark, South Lanarkshire Write to The Scotsman
The Herald Scotland
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
What have they done? We'll all rue the cost of Labour rebels' actions
Perhaps these two ministers should just have resigned, explained why, precipitated the increasingly inevitable Greece 2009-type collapse facing this country and triggered the brutal policies that entails. The world has moved on from the draconian undertones of the 1834 Poor Law's "deserving and undeserving poor", but surely few could disagree with the argument put forward by former Labour MP Tom Harris this week that the objectives of reform should be aimed "squarely at those who have given up trying to get a job and have decided they would prefer to rely on benefits long-term". Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven. A Phyrric victory Keir Starmer's concessions on his welfare bill resulted in little more than a Pyrrhic victory which has left him wounded and extremely vulnerable. Who will ever believe him again when he tries to portray himself as the man who will take difficult decisions when he fails to stand by them? From the outset of his premiership, he has tied himself to the apron strings of his Chancellor who is to him the one to make Britain's economy grow again, a faith he has but very few others now share. His future is inextricably bound up with hers. So, if she fails, he fails. If she offers her resignation as a result of the effects of the pressure put upon her by the adverse criticisms of her role as Chancellor, it would be natural to assume that he would also jump ship not long after. Read more letters It is rumoured that there is the sound of sharpening knives being heard in the Labour ranks to find replacements for both of them. Should such a double whammy occur, the only course of action open to the Government would be to call an immediate election, which would send a shiver down the spines of what were formerly considered our two main parties. It is so hard for any politician to relinquish power that it would be unsurprising to see him soldier on while at the same time making it virtually unlikely that Labour would be a viable political force again. In this Government came with mighty promises of creating a dynamic economy where investment and growth would lift us out of the despond of a flatlining economy and create a country where prosperity and sound public services would march hand in hand. The febrility of our electorate with the 24/7 insensitivity of non-stop social media has left us with a country unwilling to make sacrifices to secure a stable future where everyone benefits. Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs. Scotland ahead in poverty fight Recent analysis shows that levels of relative poverty in Scotland have been lower than in the UK as a whole for the last two decades. This is surely a vindication of the policies pursued and adopted by successive Scottish governments over that time and strongly suggests that Holyrood administrations have been far more effective in looking after the needs of the people they represent than those in Westminster and the Senedd. To give some examples, in 2024 the level of relative poverty in the UK was 21% while Scotland stood at 20% (England and Wales were slightly above the UK figure). In terms of child poverty Scotland's percentage fell from 25% in 2021 to 23% last year. In both England and Wales rates in 2024 were 31%, exactly the same as in 2021. (Steve Witherden, Labour MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr has indicated he would be in favour of the Welsh Government introducing something similar to the Scottish Child Payment.) The relative poverty rate for people of pension age in Scotland was 15% in 2024 compared with 16% for the UK as a whole. If the Scottish Government can outperform the UK and Welsh administrations in such a key measure of quality of life with one hand tied behind its back, as at present, we can only imagine how far ahead an independent Scotland would be. Our country simply cannot afford to be held back any longer. Alan Woodcock, Dundee. Indy in EU is a viable option Ewen Peters (Letters, July 2) argues that Scotland is doing less well than recent figures on foreign direct investment suggest. He seemed concerned that Scots might be encouraged towards independence. Mr Peters wrote: "In the Trumpian era of unpredictable tariffs, the experience of our Irish neighbours flags the dangers and risks of placing your most important economic eggs in the inward investment basket." Yet however fierce international trade wars become, Ireland can rest secure in the knowledge that as a member of the EU it has tariff-free access to the 27 member countries. Scotland does not have that and the Brexit damage over time gets worse and not better. Scots might well conclude that independence back in the EU is indeed a viable option and perhaps one that offers greater prosperity than remaining in the UK. Jackie Kemp, Edinburgh. Nothing special Malcolm Parkin (Letters, July 3) tells us that 'one goodish aspect of Britain is that one can spout nonsense on one day and still be at the same address the next day'. The same can be said of any country in Europe and of most countries in the world including the many independent states. There is nothing special about Britain in this regard. David Clark, Tarbolton. Stop the grandstanding I read your front page headline ("Minister's pledge in new bid to beat homes shortage", The Herald, July 3) with a sense of déjà vu. The "pledge" not to roll back on a target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 put me in mind of similar "pledges" to complete the dualling of the A9 where the Government continued to maintain that the time schedule was still achievable long past the time when it was glaringly obvious that it could not be done. The Housing Secretary talks of the need to have a "challenging" target. I feel that a large part of the current lack of confidence in/disillusion with governments and politicians stems from too many headline-grabbing so-called challenging pledges issued with no detailed plan or schedule or realistic funding provision to ensure delivery of the pledge. Past experience also tells us that without measurable milestones to monitor ongoing progress, the author of the pledge is generally safely ensconced in another government role before the chickens of failed achievement come home to roost. The Government would have far more credibility if it delivered against realistic targets rather than grandstanding with targets and programmes grabbed out of thin air. John Reid, Dunblane. • Màiri McAllan, when questioned as to the credibility of the target "to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032" states: "I think it is. I think that it will require us to step up." Indeed. It seems that someone failed to inform Ms McAllan that delivering upon promises is an essential part of the job. Merely stating a target doesn't cut the mustard. Yes, Ms McAllan, you will to need to step up. Maureen McGarry-O'Hanlon, Jamestown. Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan (Image: PA) Swinney is no leader I read the article by John Swinney (''There is nothing wrong in Scotland that cannot be fixed'', The Herald, July 1) with growing despair. He asserts that most people are realistic about the challenges facing Scotland, conveniently omitting that the "challenges" are mainly as a result of his and his Government's inept handling and lack of honesty in accepting this. The article demonstrates clearly that he lacks leadership, and that he and the Government do not have any idea what the key priorities are for the Scottish people. I have never read a more wishy-washy article containing nothing of substance but "motherhood and apple pie". One saving grace was that he did not invoke the old chestnut that the answer to all our challenges is independence, God help the people of Scotland with this man as leader. Douglas Eadie, Bonhill.
