MILIBAND UNDER MORE PRESSURE TO REVEAL LABOUR POLICY ON BEDROOM TAX Ed Miliband is facing more pressure to announce Labour’s policy on the bedroom tax after Jackie Baillie said they would reverse the tax. Labour is mired in even more confusion after Ms Baillie said on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme today that Labour would abolish the Tory tax, saying an announcement would be made ‘very soon’. But the SNP has said Ed Miliband must come clean now and state what his policy is – highlighting that it is impossible for them to campaign effectively against the bedroom tax when there is such uncertainty and confusion over Labour’s own position. The SNP also highlighted Labour’s various twists and turns on the policy – which Jackie Baillie’s comments add to: · Ed Miliband repeatedly refused to say at Prime Minister’s Questions on September 4 whether Labour would scrap the policy in 2015, despite several invitations to do so. · Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne told BBC Radio Scotland that, before Labour could make a manifesto commitment they had to prove that the policy costs more than it saves. · However, during an STV debate Labour’s Deputy Scottish Leader Anas Sarwar said that “If we were in Governmenttomorrow, we would abolish the Bedroom Tax.” · At the same time, in a Newsnight Scotland interview Labour’s Scottish Leader Johann Lamont was pressed several times to ‘be clear’ that Labour would abolish the Bedroom Tax in 2015, but refused to do so. · A statement issued by a UK Labour spokesperson also refused to commit to scrapping it, saying that “we are not writing our next manifesto today and, as with everything, we will have to take a view of the fiscal position nearer the time." (Press Association) These confusing and contradictory statements stand in stark contrast to the SNP’s cast-iron commitment that, should the SNP be elected to office in an independent Scotland, we would abolish the Bedroom Tax. At the SNP’s spring conference all our councils committed to a no-eviction policy for those affected who are taking all reasonable steps to avoid falling into arrears. John Swinney also announced in the budget this week that there will be an additional £20 million invested in providing help for people affected by the tax. Commenting, SNP MSP Linda Fabiani, who sits on the Welfare Reform Committee and challenged Ms Baillie’s comments on GMS, said: “Labour is mired in confusion when it comes to the bedroom tax – it’s like the dance of the seven veils. There appears to be different policies and views from Labour spokespeople in different parts of the UK. Miliband needs to get a grip on this. “UK Labour must come out now to say what they would do – why should the victims of the bedroom tax have to wait for an announcement to come ‘soon’. “If, as Jackie Baillie says, they would abolish it, why can’t Labour just come out to clarify the position and why has it taken so long to reach an actual position? “We don’t know if this is this wishful thinking from Jackie Baillie or not. It’s hard to campaign against a policy if you don’t actually know what your stance is to that policy. “In complete contrast, the SNP’s position has been unequivocal – the bedroom tax would be scrapped in an independent Scotland if we were elected to office. “Scotland deserves better than this from Labour. Most people agree that we can take better decisions about welfare in Scotland for ourselves. Only a Yes vote in next year’s referendum will give the Scottish Parliament the powers to scrap the Bedroom Tax and build a fairer welfare system.”
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 20:25:47 +0000
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