Empty Promises and 'Tory con-tricks'

With only 3 days to go until the EU Referendum, some right-wing Conservatives are claiming that Scotland will receive more powers if we leave the EU however I completely agree with the Deputy First Minister John Swinney that this is a “Tory con-trick”. The Tories’ promises seem to be empty ones and furthermore, leaving the EU may actually be dangerous for Scotland’s economy. Remaining in the EU will provide us with guaranteed protection of our human rights, workers’ rights and guard our welfare and economy.

Earlier this week, the unlikely frontman of the Leave campaign Michael Gove MP made a bizarre claim that along with more powers over fishing, farming and health care, the Scottish Government will hold more control over immigration if Brexit goes ahead next Thursday. I believe that these claims hold no merit and are simply a way of swaying Scottish voters to vote in their favour next week.

We only have to look back to the 2014 Independence Referendum to realise we must be wary of such claims. Before the vote, the No campaigners flooded the media with warnings that independence would cause a disastrous loss of over 100,000 jobs and declared that steel workers “across the whole of the UK stand united in solidarity” behind the ‘Better Together’ campaign.

However, just 13 months after the No vote, the UK government stood by and watched the collapse of steel production in Scotland when the country’s last two mills in Motherwell and Cambuslang were shut down by owners Tata. Hundreds of workers found themselves suddenly unemployed and let down by the establishment that had promised them safety before the vote.

The No camp also insisted that workers in the public sector working for HMRC would be safe if Scotland remained in the UK however a few months later, hundreds of workers were left devastated when jobs were axed as plans emerged to amalgamate HMRC’s current network of 18 offices into two major hubs and shut down local offices.

These betrayals are just two examples of how Scottish voters in favour of devolution and independence are targeted by scaremongering campaigns. I find it absurd that the claims are being made by the party who are opposing the devolution of powers to Holyrood and I appeal to my constituents and the wider public to be aware of these false promises made by the Leave campaigners.

Westminster still holds control over areas such as pensions and benefits. Brexit would ultimately lead to Westminster obtaining further powers over areas such as basic human and workers’ rights which we all hold dear and need to be protected. I have previously spoken out against the scrapping of the Human Rights Act (1998) in my May blog post “A British Bill of Rights?” and objected to this being replaced by a new British Bill of Rights. I fear that leaving the EU would pose a severe risk to our rights and want to fight against those who seek to destroy the various workers’ rights and employment protections that are guaranteed to be protected by the European Union.

If we vote to Remain in the referendum next week, the future of Scotland looks bright. Under, the Scotland Act 2016 legislative competence for certain areas of social security will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament which means they will be able to control a wide range of Social Security benefits such as benefits for carers, Disability Living Allowance, Discretionary Housing payments and many more. Over the last 3 years, the SNP have invested more than £90 million in Discretionary Housing Payments which means the Bedroom Tax has been abolished for those households in Scotland affected. It is estimated that the total value of benefits to be devolved is around £2.7 billion. It will also be given the power to create other new social security benefits in areas not connected with reserved matters and support unemployed people through employment programmes.

With polls in this referendum being undoubtedly tight, we in Scotland have a major part to play in the outcome of the vote. Information is emerging daily supporting both sides of the debate and I encourage the Scottish people to consider the intentions behind claims before making a decision. These fierce right wing Tories do not have Scotland’s best intentions at heart and I urge voters to protect their own rights and the rights of those around them by voting to Remain.