Labour cares for the most vulnerable

The budget demonstrates the Labour Government cares for the most vulnerable in society, is dedicated to financial recovery and protects jobs.
That was the upbeat message from Donald John Macsween who welcomed the Chancellor’s announcements as proof that only Labour had the ideas to help the people who needed a leg up in finacially-challenging times.

“Labour is taking positive action to halve the deficit in four years while protecting vital frontline services. Compare this with the Tories, who would bring in cuts which this country could not afford.”

“£11bn of savings”

He said his party was giving new homeowners help they were refused by the SNP. First-time buyers will only pay stamp duty on property worth more than £250,000.
“That is a huge help to new house-hunters. This is the kind of help that will boost the housing market and it shows that Labour is getting it right on the economy,” he said.
Alister Darling also promised the guarantee of a job or training place for every 18-24 year old out of work for six months until 2012.  The Labour hopeful in the islands claimed that under Labour, young people were being supported, not abandoned.
Parents with young children aged one and two years old will get an extra £4 a week in child tax credits from 2012. Pensioners are also to get help to pay their winter fuel bills.

He also welcomed the continuing freeze on the Support for Mortgage Interest rate until December as well as the continuation of the £50 additional winter payment for households with a pensioner over 60. It’s £100 if over 80.

A Green Investment Bank will control £2bn funds to invest in areas such as renewable energy, a move which may boost community windfarms in places such as the Western Isles.

“As someone who is involved in one of these projects myself, I think that is fantastic news and could be the incentive that could put the islands on the green map.”
Halving the nation’s deficit over four years while still protecting priorities was a masterstroke by the chancellor, said Mr. MacSween.

“His budget sets out the Government’s plan to halve the deficit, whilst protecting frontline schools, NHS and police numbers. UK departments are already planning how they will meet their contribution to £11bn of savings from smarter and more efficient government.”

The impact in Scotland of these efficiency savings, he said, was a decision for a spending review.

“Sustained recovery”

“The Winter Fuel Payment, an additional payment worth £100 for households with someone aged over 80 and £50 for households with someone over female retirement age, will help.
“Around 770,000 households in Scotland receive the payment, of which 160,000 will be eligible for the £100 payment.”
Another 750,000 will benefit from the Savings Gateway accounts which will be available in July offering people the chance to receive 50p from the Government for every pound they save.

The child element of Child Tax Credit will increase by £65 in April. An estimated 320,000 families and 550,000 children in Scotland will benefit.

The budget accepts the independent review into Civil Service relocation and will see a further 15,000 jobs move here from London. By December last year, 1123 posts had already been moved to Scotland. Mr MacSween said that if elected, he would work to attract some of these devolved jobs to the Western Isles as Calum Macdonald had done when he was the MP.

Mr Macsween concluded: “The facts are clear. Labour is the party of sustained recovery and which is protecting the poor and vulnerable while maintaining jobs.

“Meanwhile, the Tories are all about vicious cuts to protect the already-wealthy with the support of the SNP. Sadly, that includes our own MP who, as the record shows, has consistently voted with the Tories over the last five years.”

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