The SNP has said almost nothing in its manifesto about how it will fight for disability rights at Westminster if its candidates are elected MPs next month, five years after its manifesto for the last general election faced similar criticism.
At the last general election in 2019, the SNP manifesto mentioned disability and disabled people three times, but this time it mentions them just twice out of 32 pages.
Many policies that specifically affect disabled people are devolved to the Scottish Government, including social care, local government, education, parts of the social security system and many aspects of transport.
But in areas where responsibility has not been devolved, the party still has few proposals to attract disabled voters.
The manifesto pledges to promote improvements on LGBT+ rights, children’s rights and the rights of asylum seekers, but makes no such commitments on the rights of people with disabilities.
The party’s main policy put forward is for MPs to lobby the UK government “to repeal punitive welfare reforms for sick and disabled people which will take support away from some of the most vulnerable in our communities”, but no further details were given.
This is likely a reference to the Conservative government’s plans to strengthen Work Capabilities Assessment (WCA), which will mean 371,000 disabled people will lose their right to extra support and be subject to conditionality and sanctions by 2028-29.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that the WCA reforms will add just 10,000 jobs by 2028-29.
The SNP, which is already responsible for some benefit payments, wants all powers over social security to be transferred to the Scottish Government.
Other SNP policies which may be of interest to some disabled people include a pledge to push for reform of statutory sick pay to make it available to low-paid workers and remove the four-day waiting period, as well as a commitment to work with the UK Government to ensure an effective compensation system for victims of blood-borne disease incidents.
The party has also pledged to lobby for disabled veterans receiving war disability pensions to be exempt from income assessments if they need social care, as is already the case in Scotland.
An SNP spokesman said this morning (Thursday): “Given that much disability policy is devolved, it is important to note that the SNP does not intend to be the next UK Government.”
“2021 Manifesto [for the Scottish parliament elections]The manifesto of the party in which we ran for government included a blanket statement for people with disabilities.”
Marion Fellowes, SNP candidate for Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke, previously said: “In the face of continued austerity in Westminster promised by any future Labour or Conservative government, the SNP is committed to supporting and advocating for disabled people to realise their full potential – something SNP MPs in Westminster have always stood for.”
“As announced in the SNP manifesto this week, disabled people will be among those eligible to benefit from statutory social benefit charges on energy, broadband and mobile phone bills, helping to support living costs and easing the financial burden.”
Pictured: SNP leader John Swinney
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