A MORAY COUNCILLOR is challenging local members of the Conservative party to break their silence after what is being described as a “morally reprehensible” attack on the sick and disabled.
Moray Labour’s Sean Morton is demanding that local Tory’s stop “sitting on their hands” and make their voices heard against UK Government welfare policies, which Labour say are pushing more and more people into poverty.
Labour’s shadow Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray MP, said: “Only yesterday we read reports that Department of Work and Pensions staff were being trained on how to deal with suicidal claimants.
“This is a result of the UK Government’s welfare policies, which are pushing more and more people into poverty. Today Iain Duncan Smith has announced another set of changes which will hit the most vulnerable claimants again.
“The Tories’ attacks on sick and disabled people are ideological and morally reprehensible. Iain Duncan Smith’s plans would mean that people who have currently been assessed by a doctor as being not fit too work would be made to take up work, or lose their benefits.”
Making the call for Moray Conservatives to break their silence, Sean Morton said: “The Moray Tories make an art form out of playing down the fact they’re Tories – they portray themselves as mavericks, willing to break with the party when they need to.
“That’s to be applauded – so why the silence now? Why are these Moray Tories not making their voices heard? Their party is in government and is destroying the lives of thousands of sick and disabled people.
“They may not be cheerleaders for these welfare policies – not in public anyway – but by sitting on their hands they are complicit in the pain being caused by the Tory government.
“They need to accept that it is their party’s policies that are making life worse for thousands of vulnerable Scots.”