A Conservative party election candidate and MSP has been described as “heartless” after claiming young people make a “lifestyle choice” to go on benefits.
At a hustings last week John Lamont reportedly said he welcomed investment in apprenticeships as it had stopped young people “going on benefits as a lifestyle choice”.
His comments sparked anger among opposition politicians and further widened the divide between the coalition parties.
Michael Moore, the former Lib Dem Scottish Secretary who is standing against Mr Lamont in the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency, said he was appalled. He added: “That’s not my experience of the constituents who’ve come into my office struggling to get jobs and apprenticeships.”
The SNP also waded in with criticism but Mr Lamont remained unrepentant last night.
He said: “There are always going to be nationalists in the room waiting to be offended at these things.
“It’s obvious that, with a life on benefits bringing more in than having a job, some were always going to choose that.
“That’s why it was so important that the Conservatives not only changed the structure, but changed the culture.”
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