Only SNP Will Stand Up for Stirling Pensioners
Local Labour and Tory Councillors have defended Chris Kane MP over his support for cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment, after voting down an SNP motion condemning the attack on Stirling’s pensioners.
The SNP motion asked the leader of Stirling Council to write to the newly elected MP for Stirling and Strathallan, to voice serious community concerns over the cuts as temperatures are set to plummet.
Instead, Labour and the Tories united to shield Chris Kane MP from criticism, after he voted for UK Government proposals to remove the £300 universal payment to pensioners and instead means test it. No impact assessment was carried out on the potentially devastating impact this will have on pensioners across Scotland this winter.
SNP Councillor Gerry McLaughlan who proposed the motion said:
‘Instead of holding Chris Kane MP accountable for his actions and standing up for Stirling’s pensioners, Labour and Tory Councillors have chosen to defend cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment – despite clear warnings from communities and charities from across Scotland.
‘Labour run Stirling Council with Tory support. I urge voters in Stirling to keep this in mind come the next election. The Tories are lying when they claim to hold Labour accountable – instead they’re accepting paid positions within the Council in exchange for their votes. Only the SNP will stand up for Stirling’s pensioners and hold our MP accountable for his attacks on Stirling’s communities.’
SNP Councillor Gene Maxwell said:
‘Why did the Tories choose to defend pensioner cuts from a Labour Government? Every election the Tories claim they’re on the side of Stirling’s pensioners, yet by supporting the local Labour MP they’ve gotten themselves into an indefensible mess.
‘Pensioner and fuel poverty remains high in Scotland, especially given our colder climate. Chris Kane said he’d stand up for Stirling as the local MP. Instead he’s turned his back on the very people who elected him, just like his period as Stirling Council Leader.’