THE Scottish Conservatives have been accused of “pitting pensioners and people seeking asylum against each other” during a debate in Holyrood.
On Wednesday, the Scottish Parliament voted against the Scottish Government’s decision to scrap a pilot scheme giving free bus travel to asylum seekers.
MSPs voted 68 to 27 to back the principle of free bus travel for those seeking asylum, with the SNP calling for more funding from the UK Government to make the scheme a reality.
However, during the debate the Scottish Tories accused the Scottish Parliament of having “lost the plot”.
Tory MSP Sue Webber said it was “scandalous” that MSPs were debating the funding of improvements to the lives of asylum seekers when money should be spent “real concerns of the people”.
“We all want to do right by asylum seekers and help people in need – but it’s on every politician in this building to spend public money on the biggest challenges facing our country.
“The proposal is to spend millions of pounds giving asylum seekers free travel at the very same time the SNP and Labour are taking away the winter fuel payment from pensioners.
“People who have worked hard all their days are getting their winter fuel payment cut, forcing some to choose between heating and eating this winter.
“It’s scandalous and, to people across Scotland, it looks like the Scottish Parliament has lost the plot.
“The Scottish Conservatives will oppose these plans because we believe every penny of taxpayers’ money must be spent carefully to address the real concerns and needs of people – especially at a time when the SNP Government are imposing swingeing cuts across the board.”
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman described the rhetoric of Tories as “shameful” and said there was absolutely no need to place asylum seekers and pensioners in opposition.
"It is utterly shameful that the Tories are pitting pensioners and people seeking asylum against each other, although it is perhaps no surprise coming from the party who have spent the last 14 years implementing some of the most racist, anti-migrant policies we’ve ever seen,” she said.
"We believe in a society that supports everyone and extends the hands of friendship and compassion to those who seek asylum here after having been through traumatic and life altering situations.
“Providing free bus travel to people within the asylum system is a small but significant change that would offer support to some of the most marginalised people in our society.
"Free bus travel for pensioners and young people has proven itself to be transformative. It would be just as life-changing for people seeking asylum."
