SNP ministers will this week be accused of “burying their heads in the sand” when it comes to Scotland’s “ballooning benefits bill”.
The Scottish Conservatives say the Nationalists are in denial about the scale of the problem of how to close the £2 billion funding gap in social security spending identified recently by Audit Scotland.
Holyrood’s largest opposition party will lead a debate tomorrow (Wednesday) in which they will highlight that Scotland faces a welfare spending crisis that the left-wing parties at Holyrood refuse to acknowledge, let alone address.
Shadow social security secretary Alexander Stewart describes the SNP and Labour’s move to ditch the two‑child cap as a “reckless and unaffordable” decision which will pile more pain on struggling families and hardworking taxpayers.
He and the Scottish Conservatives believe that the only sustainable way to tackle poverty is by growing the economy to create opportunities for people – not endless welfare expansion.
Scottish Conservative shadow social security secretary Alexander Stewart MSP said: “Scotland’s finances are in crisis because of a ballooning and unsustainable benefits bill under the SNP.
“Audit Scotland laid bare a £2 billion black hole in social security spending, yet Nationalist ministers are in denial.
“They are burying their heads in the sand. They think they can just keep raising taxes on hardworking Scots to fund their excessive spending.
“It defies belief that when welfare spending has already spiralled out of control, both Labour and the SNP are increasing the black hole by ending the two-child cap.
“It’s reckless and unaffordable, yet the left-wing parties are unwilling or unable to accept this basic reality.
“The Scottish Conservatives recognise that the best way to lift people out of poverty is by growing our economy and creating jobs.”