HYSTERICAL PANIC INFECTS LABOUR

LABOUR “MORE INTERESTED IN ATTACKING SNP THAN HELPING PENSIONERS”

Mike Weir MP, Scottish Shadow Minister for Work & Pensions, has lambasted the Work and Pensions Secretary, John Hutton, for launching into a “hysterical” attack on the SNP rather than answering reasonable and important questions on the proposals for personal accounts. 

Commenting after the parliamentary exchange, Mr Weir said:

“The SNP proposed such a system in our pension’s paper and are generally supportive but we do have concerns about the White Paper.

“Many people on low incomes are apprehensive about private schemes following the problems with pension, endowments and even Farepak.  It is important to ascertain whether the government are going to allow private companies to control these accounts or if they are to receive backing from the State.

“Hutton was completely unwilling to answer this vital question.  Instead he launched into a hysterical attack on Independence.  Clearly he is more interested in attacking the SNP than helping pensioners.  The hysterical panic infecting Labour in Scotland has now reached London Labour.

“The idea of a national savings account is an important one and would work even better if linked to a true Citizen’s Pension.  Such a pension is clearly affordable if government had the guts to tackle the present unfair tax relief system. The problem is not about finance but about political will.

“It’s time for an SNP-led to government to introduce a Citizen’s Pension that stands up for Scotland’s pensioners.”