THE UK GOVERNMENT has been described as ‘out of control’ in the manner in which it treats people using the welfare system.

That was the view by Moray MP Angus Robertson today, the final day of activity at the UK Parliament ahead of the General Election in June.

Mr Robertson has also launched a direct attack on his Scottish Conservative opponent in Moray, Douglas Ross MSP, for his support for the widely criticised ‘Rape Clause’ during a Scottish Parliament vote.

Mr Robertson said: “This week we have seen impassioned pleas to the UK Government to scrap its abhorrent Tax Credits ‘Rape Clause’ and local headlines about food banks being busier than ever to the extent they are running out of food.

“The rape clause alone is utterly disgusting and must be scrapped. It is totally degrading and it is a disgrace that Tory MSP Douglas Ross is supporting it. The ‘Rape Clause’ means that women who have been raped have to relive the horrific trauma of the experience in order to claim Child Tax Credits.

“We also have disgraceful situation where people are to be refused support for a third child, all this while the Tories refuse to support the real Living Wage and seem determined to keep the most vulnerable people in poverty.

“Every week I am seeing more and more cases of sick and disabled people who are being treated appallingly in applications for Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments and are left unable to meet even the most basic costs of living.

“Over and above that we have the disgraceful situation of pension changes that have left hundreds of thousands of women born in the 1950s with no time to plan for major changes that have reduced their pensions by thousands upon thousands of pounds.”

The MP said that these policies were being actively pursued by the UK Government, adding: “I have no doubt that this out of control government will continue targeting women, pensioners, the disabled, the sick and the bereaved if they are re-elected.

“The Tories must not be allowed to think they can do what they want to Scotland and get away with it. This is the nasty party in full flow and no-one should have any doubts about their nasty policy agenda.”