TWO Tory MSPs have been called out for “flipflopping” on free bus travel for asylum seekers after sitting on a committee which pushed for the policy to be introduced last year.
Annie Wells and Meghan Gallacher both sat on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee which approved a report entitled The Human Rights of Asylum Seekers in Scotland last year in October.
The report said it welcomed schemes which had been piloted in Aberdeen and Glasgow and stated the committee “believes that an extension of the existing national concessionary scheme to include all asylum seekers would be transformative and supports the call for country-wide provision.”
It also said bringing in free bus travel for asylum seekers nationwide would be “life-changing” and was “within the gift of the Scottish Government”.
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman – who also sits on the committee – highlighted neither Wells or Gallacher made any objection to the content of the report, but yet they voted for their party’s motion last week which “condemned” funding for the scheme.
The Tories claimed money could have been used to provide 6600 pensioners with a full winter heating payment. When approached by The National on Sunday, the Scottish Tories said this was a “simple” explanation as to why free bus travel should not be given to asylum seekers.
They were accused during the debate of adopting a “Farage-esque” attitude by Finance Secretary Shona Robison while Labour MSP Michael Marra ripped into their attempts to “outflank Reform”.
Despite initially scrapping plans for a scheme as a savings measure, the Scottish Government brought back the policy in the Budget last week and MSPs overwhelmingly rejected a Tory effort to reverse that.
Chapman told The National she found it “disappointing” Wells and Gallacher appeared to agree to free bus travel for asylum seekers while on the committee but have now engaged in “punching down on some of the most marginalised people in our country” for “political gain”.
“The Scottish Tories are a disgrace. To weaponise people seeking asylum by pitting them against pensioners is shameful,” said Chapman (below).
"It is so disappointing, but perhaps not surprising, that they have now chosen to go along with the nasty and divisive approach being taken by the Tory leadership.
“They are now punching down on some of the most marginalised people in our country in a cynical bid for political gain.
"I urge the Tories to stop their dehumanising rhetoric, recognise the contribution that is made by people seeking asylum and move away from the ugly and reactionary politics they have resorted to.”
When it came to a vote on the Tory motion last week, an amendment tabled by Robison was passed by 73 votes to 28, with 21 abstentions.
Robison’s amendment essentially erased all of the Tories’ motion, replacing it with a statement welcoming action on the Winter Fuel Payment and two-child benefit cap.
While he did not vote last week on the motion, Former Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw also showed signs of supporting bringing in free bus travel for asylum seekers in October 2023.
In a debate led by Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, Carlaw spoke in favour of the policy.
He said: “Mr Sweeney will be aware that the proposal is the subject of an active petition that is before the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee and that it has drawn cross-party support.
“On behalf of the committee and the petitioner, I put the issue directly to the First Minister when he appeared before the Conveners Group just before the October recess. At that meeting, he gave a very strong commitment to look into seeking to deliver on the aims of the petition.
“Is Mr Sweeney pleased, at least, with that progress to date? Is he, like me, hopeful that the Minister for Transport will be able to advance the First Minister’s commitment beyond that which he was able to give in June?”
Later in the debate he appeared to indicate he agreed with the “principle” of offering free bus travel to asylum seekers.
Carlaw was one of four Tory MSPs who did not vote on the Tory motion presented last week alongside Jamie Greene, Pam Gosal and Alexander Burnett.
Chapman added: “It's clear that many Tory MSPs simply do not care about people seeking asylum, or indeed any of the other minoritised groups their party has attacked so openly.
“But some do - or at least they claim to. They have a choice: they can trade in their humanity in order to fight a nasty, racist culture war and maybe win some hard right votes from Reform, or they can do the right thing and support rights and dignity for asylum seekers."
A Scottish Tory spokesperson said: “Under our new leader Russell Findlay, we’re standing up for people across Scotland who just want politicians to show some common sense, for a change.
“When Scottish pensioners who have worked all their days are losing the winter fuel payment, asylum seekers should not receive free bus travel. It’s as simple as that.”
