Unfortunately, many politicians spend their time vying for position, power and place, forgetting the most important thing people.
Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman’s comments confirming Labour would “not oppose” George Osborne’s welfare cuts in the Budget confirmed this.
The Institute of Fiscal Studies’ analysis on Osborne’s budget shows the Tory cuts to the work allowance and income threshold elements of universal credit and tax credits alone will cost three million families an average of £1,000 a year.
These cuts are targeted directly at working families. Yet Labour, which once dominated Scottish political life as the party of the working people, has once again confirmed what most people know in Scotland that it no longer does.
By following the Tories’ lead, Labour has forgotten its principles and is consigning people to years of more austerity.
The SNP confirmed it will lodge an amendment opposing the welfare bill because, clearly, the Tories won’t let the SNP protect Scotland from cuts via the Scotland Bill.
As it stands, the Tory Government has refused to agree to a single amendment, supported by all but one of Scotland’s 59 MPs and is forcing English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) on us reducing Scotland’s status at Westminster to second class. David Cameron’s government is hell-bent on taking away all of Scotland’s opportunities to influence politics.
And with Labour struggling to understand the role of opposition, perhaps that’s why we find ourselves in the situation this week of the SNP saying it would vote against the Tories’ proposal on fox hunting.
That’s the fourth issue the SNP Group has led the opposition on and it forced the Tories to retreat.
The SNP is showing it can influence progressive politics where it can. If only Labour would join the SNP next week and vote against the Tories’ welfare cuts.
If Labour was prepared to vote against foxes being harmed, why on Earth not people? It could bring an unchecked, out-of-touch Conservative government to heel for the most important thing in politics the interests of the people.