Yesterday, 9th October 2024, Sue Webber and the Scottish Conservatives said the Scottish Parliament has “lost the plot” after the Greens brought forward a debate on providing free bus travel to asylum seekers.
As the new Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary, Sue warned that going ahead with the proposal at a time when the SNP and Labour governments are removing universal winter fuel payments for pensioners would show “that this parliament doesn’t stand up for them”.
Sue described it as “scandalous” that MSPs from a range of parties supported a £2million transport subsidy at the same time as support for heating bills was being cut from almost a million elderly Scots.
Sue Webber added that the Scottish Conservatives opposed the plans because they believe every penny of taxpayers’ money should be spent on the “real concerns of the people”.
Sue Webber MSP said, “We all want to do right by asylum seekers and help people in need – but it’s on every politician in this building to spend public money on the biggest challenges facing our country.
“The proposal is to spend millions of pounds giving asylum seekers free travel at the very same time the SNP and Labour are taking away the winter fuel payment from pensioners.
“People who have worked hard all their days are getting their winter fuel payment cut, forcing some to choose between heating and eating this winter.
“It’s scandalous and, to people across Scotland, it looks like the Scottish Parliament has lost the plot.
“No wonder so many people feel that this parliament doesn’t stand up for them or represent their interests.
“The Scottish Conservatives will oppose these plans because we believe every penny of taxpayers’ money must be spent carefully to address the real concerns and needs of people – especially at a time when the SNP Government are imposing swingeing cuts across the board.”
Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/10/09/snp-lost-plot-free-asylum-seeke…
BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c79nj1yxrq4o
Scottish Daily Express: www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-greens-lost-plot-…
Glasgow Times: www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/24642003.msps-clash-debate-free-buses-asylu…
