Analysis: Clear dividing lines between SNP and Tories over welfarepublished at 12:20 GMT
12:20 GMT
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
The Conservative leader’s attack line was well-trailed today.
Russell Findlay had set out his party’s welfare policy ahead of
the Holyrood election at a press conference yesterday.
Under the banner of “Common sense for a change”, Mr
Findlay highlighted the key planks which he says would save taxpayers £1bn.
Those included a pledge to introduce a two-child cap for the
Scottish Child Payment, firming up assessments for those receiving the Adult
Disability Payment for mental health reasons and ending the so-called ‘tick-box
culture’ when it comes to claimants looking to continue receiving benefits.
So today in parliament, Mr Findlay did say the safety net was
valued – but warned the “towering” benefits bill now stands at £7bn –
with the leader saying benefits spending was “out of control, unfair,
unaffordable and unsustainable”.
But this attack went straight to what the first minister called
the “mission of his government”, to support the vulnerable and to
lift children out of poverty.
John Swinney was fairly ferocious in his response, saying Mr
Findlay had a hostile attitude to the vulnerable in society and didn’t deign to
“get in the gutter” with the Conservative leader.
The Tory leader hopes he’ll appeal to hard-working Scots who
thinks the benefits bill is out of control. A clear dividing line between
the two – and also with Reform UK, as they say they don’t want to cut benefits.