ONLY ESCAPE IS THROUGH INDEPENDENCE
Rona Mackay MSP has hit out after a new report shows Tory austerity policies have “likely” caused more deaths than the Covid-19 virus.
The news comes as latest local authority analysis published in 2021, demonstrated that 20% of people in East Dunbartonshire live in fuel poverty.
Fuel poverty is defined by the Scottish Government as any household spending more than 10% of their income on energy - after housing costs have been deducted.
Researchers said the “not only shocking but shameful” statistics in the new report showed that almost 335,000 more deaths than expected were recorded across Scotland, England and Wales over an eight-year period.
Experts at Glasgow University and the Glasgow Centre for Population Health GCPH) examined data on deaths in the three countries over the period 2012 to 2019.
In Scotland, 12,735 excess deaths were recorded amongst men, and 6,564 amongst women - making a total of 19,299 excess deaths.
Rona, SNP MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden said: "The Tories' cruel austerity agenda has been exposed in this report. Scotland has rejected a Tory government since the 1950s. The only way to escape is through Independence."
The SNP’s Scotland spokesperson, Mhairi Black MP, has urged the Prime Minister to recall parliament so the UK government can immediately scrap its cruel austerity measures to save lives - and has reminded people in Scotland they can have a better, safer future with independence.
She has also called on Scottish Conservative Leader, Douglas Ross, to stand up for Scotland by denouncing the recent Tory budget and calling on the UK government to stand by its promise to uprate benefits in line with inflation.
The report, produced by Glasgow University and the Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH), revealed that almost 335,000 more deaths than expected were recorded across Scotland, England and Wales in an eight year period, and that these were “likely to have been caused by UK government economic policy.”
In Scotland, 12,735 excess deaths were recorded amongst men, and 6,564 amongst women - making a total of 19,299 excess deaths.
Researchers have said the figures are “not only shocking but shameful.”
Commenting, Mhairi Black MP said: “The human cost of Scotland remaining under Westminster control has been laid bare in this report. Independence is the only way Scotland can escape austerity for good.
“The fact that almost 335,000 deaths - almost 20,000 in Scotland - are likely to have been caused by UK government policies should serve as a wake up call to the UK government and shame every single Tory to their core, including Douglas Ross and the rest of the Scottish Tories.
“The UK government had the opportunity to change course in its recent mini-budget by scrapping debt-inducing policies and bringing in meaningful, targeted support to help low and middle income families get through the cost-of-living crisis.
Instead, it chose to confirm Tory austerity 2.0 with more cuts that will threaten our vital NHS and public services, scrap the cap on bankers bonuses and, before u-turning, cut tax for the wealthiest.
“It is time for the Scottish Conservative Party to stand up for people in Scotland and help to save lives across the country by denouncing the Tory austerity agenda and calling on their boss to uprate benefits as promised, so people aren’t left cold or hungry.
“Scotland hasn’t voted for a Tory government in almost 60 years, yet we have had cruel Tory policy after cruel Tory policy imposed on us - and now we see those same policies are likely causing excess deaths here.
"It is truly heartbreaking - but we can have a brighter, safer future with independence, which would give us all the powers needed to ensure people weren’t left to go cold and hungry.”