Thursday, September 05, 2013

SNP STILL DUCKING AND DIVING AS LABOUR CALL THEM OUT ON BEDROOM TAX AND THEIR SEPARATION SUPPORT FALLS TO 25%

As their lies and deceit become more exposed Labour are mounting a challenge to the snp's duplicitous stance on the bedroom tax. People are becoming more aware that Salmond and the snp want the bedroom tax to harm as many Scots as possible. Their twisted logic sees that as advantage to their narrow separatist agenda. Put simply and crudely they believe that that will allow them to blame the English for the pain being suffered by Scots. and that is why they have chosen to do nothing to help those Scots caught up in this iniquitous Tory charge on the poor.

Scottish Labour has called for concerted action by the Scottish Government to help protect Scotland's social housing tenants from the impact of the coalition government's Bedroom Tax. Scottish Labour is bringing forward a package of measures which will offer 

assistance to all social tenants now, without having to wait until after a general election or until 2016.
 

Scottish Labour has previously supported the Govan Law Centre petition which called on the SNP Government to amend housing legislation to protect social tenants from eviction. As the SNP has resisted the petition, Scottish Labour is now bringing the proposal forward as a members' bill. 

As an integral part of the package of support required, Scottish Labour has also asked the SNP Government to provide additional funds to local government and housing associations to help plug the financial gap which is growing by the day as a result of increasing rent arrears. Both offers made by Scottish Labour to work together with the Government to find a consistent approach across Scotland for all social tenants have so far been refused by the SNP.
 

Labour's Jackie Baillie said:"With the impact of the Bedroom Tax becoming more apparentand every day, it is right that we bring forward a package of measures which will ensure that no tenant who is genuinely unable to pay the Bedroom Tax, loses their home. "With the SNP refusing to act for all of Scotland, I have decided to bring forward a Member's Bill with the assistance of Govan Law Centre, which will ensure that any social tenant who is genuinely unable to pay the Bedroom Tax will not be evicted."The Bill will help ensure that our most vulnerable are protected. It is for times like these that the Scottish Parliament was created and the Bedroom Tax is the perfect example of just how Parliament could act now to make a real difference to tenants across Scotland."This is bigger than party politics and bigger than constitutional arguments. Scots are looking to us for leadership on this issue. It is not too late for the SNP Government to work with parties who want to see action on the bedroom tax. They have the

Labour's Ian Gray said "The financial impact of the Bedroom Tax on Scottish tenants is £50 million. That is less than 0.18% of the Scottish Government budget, a fraction of last year's underspend. But the wider impact is huge. 80,000 households are affected, many with children, many of them including someone with a disability. There are no smaller houses for them to move to. Meanwhile councils and housing associations face the prospect of soaring rent arrears, threatening cuts to other council services and undermining Housing Associations ability to borrow and build."Yes, this is the Coalition government's fault but apportioning blame is not enough. Scots want politicians to work together to protect our poorest and most vulnerable."We can, and we must, act by working together to find the resources to protect councils, housing associations and above all, tenants."
Labour's Mark MacMillan; leader of COSLA and Renfrewshire Council said:"Despite the rhetoric, we know that councils of all political hues are facing growing financial pressures and our tenants and housing association tenants are growing increasingly concerned about what lies ahead as their rent arrears mount. "We've seen SNP councils threaten evictions to tenants who are falling behind as a result of the Bedroom Tax. It simply isn't good enough for individual councils to be left to try to plug the financial gap on their own. Housing associations can't simply be left on their own to try to cope with the financial impact of the loss of rental income."Scottish Labour councils commit that no tenants who fully engages with their local authority to minimise their debts and who make every effort to pay their rent will be evicted. This joint approach is needed as all of our requests for SNP Government action, made both individually and through COSLA, have fallen on deaf ears."So with this commitment from Scottish Labour councils and from Scottish Labour in Holyrood to bring forward the money and the legislation needed to ameliorate the impact of this much-reviled Bedroom Tax, there is a comprehensive approach to ensure action is taken now to help our poorest and most vulnerable. Scotland deserves nothing less.

33 comments:

Running Man said...

Milliband when asked if he would repeal the Bedroom tax refused an answer and it wa Labour who brought in the Bedroom tax for those renting in the private sector..

Running Man said...

Terry,
So you are in agreement with Anwar? Labour will look to repeal this law if and when they get into power ?

Rather than putting a 50M annual sticking plaster on it. One that councils themselves could of course commit to.

SNP have said they would repeal in first year of independent Scotland if they were voted in.

Can we assume Labour will have this in their list of commitments if they get into Westminster or Edinburgh

Andrew Morton said...

Thought I'd come and visit you at home. Having had a look around, I wish I hadn't bothered. It's been educational though.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

If you are a private landlord and you know that you can make more money from people on benefits by forcing them to take a property bigger than they need you would do it wouldn't you just like you support tax breaks for the rich and free travel etc.

Give it some thought for a change.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

I agree with Anwar completely when he says that the snp are deliberately causing people to suffer in an attempt to blame the English for the bedroom tax and gain votes for themselves, the snp are brutal liars and serial cheats. But you already know that don't you? that's what attracted you to them in the first place isn't it.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

"educational" Andrew that's not difficult when dealing with people like you.

Running Man said...

Terry what are you blabbering about private landlords forcing people to take houses. How exactly does that work ? It's a free world. It's entirely possible to sort the private housing rental market without punishing those on benefits. The reason it doesn't happen is that many MP's are serial landlords.

The only reference I made to private landlords was in relation to fact that it was actually a Labour policy that brought on the introduction of the bedroom tax. Do you deny this ?

Did these people who were using private housing not also suffer ?

The SNP are 'Brutal Liars' ......yet it was Labour who first brought us the idea of a bedroom tax and even today they have no commitment to repealing it...not at the UK level anyway, where the decisions are made.

How you can argue and stand up for these policies we'll never know.

Running Man said...

Scottish Labour is just a fascade. It has no power and is ruled by London powerbase.

As seen last week when Anwar made a public declaration of removal of Bedroom tax and only the next day we have the party from London distance itself from the commitment.

David Cameron said...

You need professional help Mr Kelly.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Private landlords have been exploiting the benefits system for years the bigger the house the higher the rent and the higher the benefits, ending this abuse is not the kind of thing the snp would do because they prefer giving tax breaks to those who don't need them.

If you want to discuss the bedroom tax start by explaining why the snp government are refusing to do anything to help those effected. I know exactly why they are doing this but do you?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

You know nothing about The Labour Party that is obvious. Labour will repeal the bedroom tax at the earliest opportunity and they did not refute what Anwar said, it's pathetic that you and the snp are reduced to such made up lies.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

David Cameron said...Tuesday, September 10, 2013 7:46:00 pm

Pass me the name of your shrink.

Running Man said...

So Labour will repeal it for private renting households as well ?
Or just for those in Council houses...

Why should it be different ? Its still the person on benefits who effectively gets punished.

This whole stance of being against it just doesn't stand any scrutiny.

You only deflect from Labour having brought it in. Just saying its landlords to blame does not change the fact that Labour put the change in. Then you try to deflect it onto the SNP who have no powers over Welfare..It seems to be everyones fault except the political party who actually put it in.....

In summary, Labour brought in a policy that it's now scrambling to say should be repealed.

Hypocrisy of the highest order.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Labour will always try to prevent profiteering by Private landlords but this whole argument has now overtaken you perhaps you are not running fast enough.

A benefits cap means that people will lose benefits who need them no matter how many bedrooms or toilets or medicines or children they have to feed etc. And are you aware of who now supports that benefits cap? Alex Salmond and the snp that's who. It's a sore yin isn't it.

Running Man said...

Still unable Terry to answer the question ? You deflect to a benefits cap.

Will Labour repeal their own act that punishes those in private rentals ?

You seem strangely at ease with punishing people on benefits in private rented housing, its OK for you for the poor to suffer as long as landlords get hit as well. So in effect your desire is to drive down private rentals and you don;t care who gets hurt in the meantime...The very crime you accuse the SNP of. Using the poor to achieve another goal.

Surely those in private housing get clobbered even more since the reductions are percentage based.

Private Landlords could easily be dealt with using taxation. In fact just raising interest rates will blow out their business model, they'll flee it in droves and house prices and rents will drop.

I may be running but you are running from the argument time and time again...Answer the question, will Labour repeal its own act that punishes those poor folk forced into private rentals.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Labour as I have said many times before will scrap the bedroom tax.

All the arguments that the snp put up against others on welfare reform have been blown out of the window by the revelation that they support a benefits cap. That means that people who are entitled to x amount of benefits will not get the amount they need and the snp support that. I think that is a very important point, you can as your nom de plume suggest run away from it but I will remember it when any of you try to attack Labour on welfare.

Byeck said...

Kelly @ 5.31
Benefit cap means 'people entitled to x benefits, will not get the amount they need.'

No it bloody does not....they wont starve, their needs will still be met.

What it does mean, they wont get the amount they would like, and if that means getting rid of one of the family cars and cancelling their Sky subscription...Tough.

Running Man said...


Will Labour repeal their own act that punishes those in private rentals ?

simple yes or no ?

Running Man said...

Terry,
Seemingly Labour also support the policy of a Benefits cap ? According to Liam Byrne

"He said the national cap of £500-a-week, equivalent to the average working household's salary, would "backfire" and it would be better to have a regional cap that "is actually going to work in practice". "

So no flat denial of supporting a benefit cap, in fact supporting a London weighting.

They just differ from the Government in that they want to set local caps rather than have a national cap. Unless Liam Byrne is a SNP plant or the policy has changed ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16780622


So according to this Labour actually do support a cap but essentially want London residents to get an exception.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/07/benefit-caps-polling-success-paves-way-for-tough-2015-promises/

Quote "Of course, it’s not entirely true that Labour supports limitless benefits, as the party is considering some kind of regional benefit cap, with more money paid to recipients in London to reflect the higher cost of living. "

Has this position changed ?

Are the two articles completely wrong ?

Is Liam Byrne being misquoted ?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Some of them will also need to sell the holiday home in the Bahamas and get rid of the Yacht as well.

When did they release you? they have obviously made a mistake you are as deranged as ever, why don't we shoot benefit claimants that would sort it out. We could start with the Royal Family who really do have yachts and homes in exotic places all partly paid for by me against my will.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

You go first have you stopped beating your wife, yes or no.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Labour do not support the benefit cap in the national news only this morning the Tories were branding labour the "benefit claimants friends"for refusing to support the Tory proposals which are supported by the snp.

The question is of course (which you are hiding from) is how can the snp complain about anyone's position on benefit reform when they are supporting reactionary proposals for a benefits cap. These proposals don't just effect bedroom tax payers they effect every benefit there is and you support them, not looking good is it?

Running Man said...

I'm hiding from nothing. It was you who brought up benefits cap.

You still never answered whether Labour would repeal private rental bedroom tax. Simply because you know and I know the answer. There will be no repeal of the Bedroom tax, it either of its guises.

You say Labour does not support a Cap. Yet Liam Byrne supports a cap in the BBC article and comments I provided.

Liam Byrne is Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions...If you didn't know.

Are saying that you are more in the know than Liam ?

The reality Terry is that Labour cannot repeal the Bedroom tax, they need to support a benefits cap due to its popularity with the Daily Mail brigade. If by some miracle they get elected they will continue the Welfare Reforms that the Tories started.

This is because the party is wedded to the middle class votes of middle England. At some point you'll see this but by then you'll have been a stooge for so long you won't be able to face the real facts.

Time to join the SSP, Labour is no longer the left, the facts are spread before you. We both know the facts. You try to blind yourself to them by throwing up an SNP smokescreen.

Clearly you can't abandon Labour as your 'career' is linked to the party but we both know you'd love to.

I do laugh at your tortured predicament, pretending to be a man of the people while on a ship heading in the other direction. Totally and utterly powerless.

Byeck said...

Kelly @ 3.35
Kelly, stop blathering...these measures are designed to encourage the work shy to work and the 24yr old single mother of six to cap her maternal instincts and not be a single mother of seven to get a few quid more.

I reckon it's a vote winner and you know I'm not often wrong.

Running Man said...

All your fans looking for you on the Herald, seems like its just you,Anwar and Jackie in Labour who would scrap bedroom tax.

Anonymous said...

LIEBOOR will always fight against private landlords making a quick buck off of the state will they?

Remind us who trish godman was renting her flat in Edinburgh from, that we the tax-payer was paying for?

Oh yes it was her convicted criminal of a son wasn't it?

Also remind us who that other prize twat, Iain Mckenzie MP was renting his London flat from privately, again paid for by the public purse?

Oh yes it was another LIEBOOR MP, seemingly the rather thick Iain didn't know her

The list of LIEBOOR private landlords includes George Foulkes, you'll know him, he got done for assaulting an elderly woman's and a policeman, he was rewarded with a peerage
Then there's Michael Meacher, the Prescotts and many more

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

The benefits cap is a game changer and the snp support it. There is no point going on about bedroom tax evictions when you support a policy which will also cause evictions. Is that too complicated for you or are as usual lying?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Running Man said...Sunday, September 15, 2013 12:52:00 pm.

This seems like a reference to the stories about Labour disagreeing with Jackie Baillie's statement that we will scrap the bedroom tax. Here then is an opportunity for you to answer a question that many snp people have refused to answer, can you name for me the Labour source who stated this disagreement?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Running Man said...Sunday, September 15, 2013 12:52:00 pm.

This seems like a reference to the stories about Labour disagreeing with Jackie Baillie's statement that we will scrap the bedroom tax. Here then is an opportunity for you to answer a question that many snp people have refused to answer, can you name for me the Labour source who stated this disagreement?

Anonymous said...

LOL at Ian Gray's comment about having to work together. Isn't it Labour policy to oppose anything proposed by the SNP even if they agree with it?

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Cllr Terry Kelly said...

I've never heard of that policy but I can tell you that I don't support anything proposed by the snp because they are liars, hope that helps.