Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley has condemned the UK Government’s autumn Budget which will do nothing to tackle the cost of living crisis.

The SNP MP has said “independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts” – warning the UK Budget has short-changed Scotland and left millions of families worse off.

Forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility reveal that inflation is set to raise to four per cent next year which will see the cost of basic necessities increase and put pressure on family budgets.

Already, almost one-third of households in Lanark and Hamilton East receiving Universal Credit have seen their incomes slashed by 20 per cent as a result of callous Tory cuts.

More than 6,800 people in the constituency have seen their incomes reduced as a result of the Chancellor’s decision to remove the £20 uplift which had been a lifeline for many since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Commenting, Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley said:

“It’s increasingly clear that there will be no fair recovery under Westminster control. The only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts is to become an independent country.

“No amount of smoke and mirrors can disguise the fact that the UK Budget has short-changed Scotland, and left millions of families – including almost 7,000 people in my constituency – hundreds of pounds worse off next year due to Tory cuts, tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit.

“Under the Tories, the UK has the worst levels of poverty and inequality in northwest Europe and the highest levels of in-work poverty this century. Yet, this Budget did nothing to tackle the Tory cost of living crisis. The piecemeal measures won’t even offset Tory Universal Credit cuts, National Insurance hikes or rising inflation, let alone boost incomes.

“The Tory government has short-changed Scotland by billions of pounds. It has broken its pledge to invest in Scottish carbon capture projects, failed to match the Scottish Government’s £500million just transition fund, failed to fully replace EU funding for Scottish local authorities, and failed to compensate Scotland for the damage of Brexit.

“It beggars belief that the Tories expect us to be grateful even though they are making families poorer and robbing Scotland of investment.”