Sir Tom Devine Urges Duncan Smith's Replacement to Scrap 'Immoral' Welfare Policies

LEADING Scottish historian Sir Tom Devine has urged new Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb to scrap the UK Government’s “outrageous” and “immoral” policies on welfare.

Devine is among a number of high-profile Christians who have signed an open letter to Crabb calling for him to reverse the “devastating cuts” implemented by his predecessor Iain Duncan Smith.

The letter, from Christian think-tank Ekklesia and The Centre for Welfare Reform, has been backed by church leaders including archbishops and bishops, academics and writers from across the UK.

Devine told the Sunday Herald he signed because as a Christian he wanted to draw as much public attention as possible to the “shameful immorality” of the current UK Government’s “outrageous policies on social welfare”.

He said: “These obnoxious enactments are the reverse of the great Christian ethic of 'love thy neighbour'; good Samaritans these politicians are not. At a time of economic austerity it is the poor, the vulnerable and the disabled above all others who should be afforded most protection by a civilised society.

“It is an outrage therefore that this Westminster regime seem on the contrary to be bent on buttressing the position of the strongest and most comfortable in the country.”

He added: “This should be an issue of special concern in Scotland where social inequality and disadvantage already blights the lives of so many of our fellow citizens.”

On Wednesday, dozens of campaigners occupied the central lobby at Westminster to protest against disability cuts, with chants of “Cameron killer” and “no more deaths from benefit cuts”.

While the cuts to Personal Independence Payment have been reversed, there are still many others to be implemented, including targeting disabled student allowance and payments made to those with severe disabilities and children with disabilities under the Universal Credit benefit system.

Dr Simon Duffy, director of think-tank The Centre for Welfare Reform, has calculated that the Tory welfare cuts mean people in poverty have borne twice the burden of austerity compared to most other citizens. People who are also disabled have borne a burden four times the average.

He said: “By looking through the figures and analysing what is going on, this is always hitting disabled people because they are an easy scapegoat group."

When asked for a response to the letter, a spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) pointed to Crabb’s first speech since replacing Duncan Smith. On Monday he told MPs there would be “no further plans” to make welfare savings beyond what had been agreed by Parliament in recent weeks.

Source: Scottish Herald