Scottish Labour "all over the place" on Bedroom Tax and Two Child Cap

SNP only party offering real change with independence

The SNP has said "the pro-Brexit Labour Party can't be trusted to stand up for Scotland" - after Scottish Labour's economy spokesperson said his party wouldn't scrap the Bedroom Tax or Two Child Cap.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Daniel Johnson MSP was repeatedly asked whether the Labour Party would abolish the bedroom tax and two child cap but on both issues he said: "We can't make uncosted pledges ahead of an election".

When asked why his party doesn't simply cost the policies, Johnson bizarrely repeated: "What we can't do ahead of the election... is make pledges that we just don't know the cost of".

It comes as independent research, commissioned by the SNP, found around 100,000 households in Scotland (97,425) had their Universal Credit or Housing Benefit payments reduced as a result of the bedroom tax last year, with more than half a million (504,280) hit across the UK. Households in Scotland lost an average of £786.84 in Housing Benefit and £709.08 in Universal Credit deductions in 2022.

The analysis found families in Scotland have been disproportionately hit by the bedroom tax, with one in three (33%) housing benefit claimants in Scotland having their benefits reduced compared to one in six (16%) in England, and 29% of Universal Credit claimants having their benefits reduced in Scotland, compared to 18% of claimants in England.

The SNP Scottish Government has spent hundreds of millions of pounds protecting households by mitigating the bedroom tax in Scotland. The analysis shows in 2022/23 alone, the Scottish Government spent £66.85million mitigating the bedroom tax by providing Discretionary Housing Payments to impacted households. Since 2019/20 it has spent more than £266.10million on mitigating the policy, which could otherwise be used on additional measures to tackle poverty.

Commenting, the SNP's Social Justice spokesperson, David Linden MP said:

"It's clear the pro-Brexit Labour Party can't be trusted to stand up for Scotland. They're all over the place on Tory cuts and, now, appear to be committed to keeping both the punitive bedroom tax and the two child cap. Anas Sarwar must come out of hiding and clear up this chaotic mess.

"It's increasingly clear the SNP is the only party offering real change with independence, and real help with the cost of living. In contrast, the Tories and pro-Brexit Labour Party are competing to impose toxic policies, which push thousands of Scottish children into poverty.

"At the next election, voting SNP is the only way to secure independence - and get rid of cruel Westminster policies like bedroom tax and two child cap for good."

Exchange between BBC Good Morning Scotland presenter and Daniel Johnson MSP:

Presenter: "The SNP has written to Sir Keir Starmer asking whether Labour will scrap the bedroom tax. Will Labour scrap the bedroom tax?"

Daniel Johnson: "We can't make uncosted pledges ahead of election"

Presenter: "Are you costing it? And if you cost it, and you can scrap it, will you scrap it?"

Daniel Johnson: "What we can't do is ahead of the election, before we've taken office, is make pledges that we just don't know the cost of"

Presenter: "So you're not committing to scrap the bedroom tax?"

Daniel Johnson: "Not ahead of an election"