Ruth Davidson under fire in Holyrood ‘rape clause’ exchanges

 

SCOTTISH Tory leader Ruth Davidson was greeted with calls of “shame, shame” after she refused to condemn the UK Government’s so-called “rape clause”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon challenged the Conservative not to “pass the buck” on the child tax credit reform and “tell Scotland straight, do you support the rape clause in principle or do you, like me, think it is utterly abhorrent?”

The Tory responded by saying: “If the First Minister doesn’t like the two-child tax policy, she can change it.”

MSPs in the Scottish Parliament chanted “shame, shame” and Ms Sturgeon responded: “Shame on Ruth Davidson and shame on the Conservatives.”

Welfare reforms introduced by the UK Government earlier this month cut child tax credit and Universal Credit for third or subsequent children

A number of exemptions to the new rules are in place, including multiple birth, adoption and non-consensual pregnancy.

The so-called “rape clause” means women who were the victim of rape or conceived while in a coercive relationship will have to prove their third child was born as a result of this in order to qualify for an exemption.

The SNP leader, speaking during fierce exchanges at First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood, added: “We have just seen in this chamber the true colours of Ruth Davidson and the Conservatives.

“Given the opportunity to stand up clearly and join others in this chamber and say the rape clause – a clause that forces a woman to prove she has been raped before claiming benefits for her child – is morally and in principle wrong, Ruth Davidson refuses to do so.

“That is utterly shameful.”

The exchanges took place as protesters against the policy gathered outside the Scottish Parliament.

FMQs was held just over 48 hours after Prime Minister’s Theresa May’s bombshell announcement of a snap general election on June 8 – and the election dominated the exchanges between Ms Sturgeon and rival politicians.

Ms Davidson said the SNP strategy for the campaign would be to try to claim “living in the UK under a Conservative government will be hell on earth”.

She accused nationalists of putting forward “offensive and negative trash about our country”, adding: “The fact is that the way the SNP is readying itself to pour negativity on this country at this election is shameful.”

The Tory leader told Ms Sturgeon “she might not like it but Scotland is part of this United Kingdom”.

She pledged: “We will stand up for Scotland’s decision to stay in the United Kingdom and we will say no to a second referendum so Scotland can get on with building better schools and better public services.”

In contrast, she claimed the “First Minister’s very first intervention in this election has been to say that she’d put Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10”.

The remark was dismissed as “pretty tired stuff” by the First Minister.

“You only have to take one look at the polls to know Jeremy Corbyn ain’t going anywhere near Number 10 Downing Street on his own or with the help of anyone else,” she said.

Ms Sturgeon continued: “That brings us back to the core issue, because of the unelectability of Labour, Scotland faces the prospect of an unfettered, out-of-control Tory government and we know the damage that can do to Scotland – to our budget, to the vulnerable, to pensions, to the economy.

“The rape clause has been introduced by a Tory government at Westminster with a tiny majority.

“If that’s what a Tory government can do with a tiny majority, let’s just think of the damage an unfettered, out-of-control Tory government can do with a bigger majority.

“So, if people in Scotland want protection against the Tory government, if people in Scotland want an effective, strong opposition to a Tory government, they won’t get it from unelectable Labour, they won’t get it from the Lib Dems who still say they would support it from a Tory government, they will only get it from the SNP.

“Scotland needs protection from the Tories.”

The SNP leader told voters: “If the thought of a one-party Tory stranglehold at Westminster does horrify you, if you want effective opposition in Scotland, that can only come from the SNP.”

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale challenged Ms Sturgeon over SNP MPsabstaining in the House of Commons vote on whether there should be a generalelection.

Ms Dugdale said: “It suits the SNP for the Tories to stay in power. That’s why they refused to vote Theresa May out of office yesterday.

“It suits the SNP for the Tories to stay in power because the only thing the SNP have ever cared about is independence.

“Time and time again we were told that a vote for the SNP is not a vote for another referendum.

“So, will the First Minister have the decency to tell the voters before they vote that she will use this election as another excuse for a divisive referendum or once again will she wait until the day after?”

She added: “If Jeremy Corbyn was prime minister, there would be no rape clause, there would be no more housing benefit cuts and there would be no more austerity, and I will proudly campaign for that over the next six weeks as she campaigns for independence.”

The First Minister countered that it was Labour “who trooped through the lobbies with the Tories yesterday”, adding: “You know the lobby I mean, it’s that one that had turkeys and Christmas written above it.”

She said the prospect of Labour replacing the Tories in the election was “frankly pie in the sky”, adding the party was “unelectable and utterly useless”.

“Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable and will leave Labour carping from the sidelines – how do we know that? Because that’s what Kezia Dugdale said about Jeremy Corbyn.

“I agree with Kezia Dugdale about how awful and how damaging this Tory government is.

“That’s why I think it’s so utterly shameful and disgraceful that Labour has allowed itself to get in the position that this lot are 20 points ahead of them in the opinion polls UK-wide and are even ahead of them in Scotland as well.

“That’s Labour’s failure and it is an utter disgrace.”

She added: “The mandate for another referendum was sought and won at the Scottish Parliament elections last year. This election is about who will stand up for Scotland against the Tories.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called on Ms Sturgeon to clarify the SNP’s position on Europe, arguing the party’s depute leader Angus Robertson had “struggled” to explain it.

He repeatedly urged the First Minister to confirm that full membership of the European Union would be in the SNP manifesto for the general election.

Mr Rennie said: “If the policy is that clear, why can’t she just say it’s going to be in the manifesto? She’s dodging just like Angus yesterday.

“The Liberal Democrats, in contrast, are crystal clear. We want Scotland in the heart of the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom in the heart of Europe.

“The First Minister has only ever cared about independence. We know what she and her government are up to, she’s trying to get Brexit supporters back on side, so she is going soft on Europe.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “The policy of the SNP on Europe is absolutely clear, we want Scotland to remain members of the European Union, I don’t think there is anybody who could have missed that over the past few months.

“Labour is unelectable, the Liberal Democrats propped the Tories up for five years and won’t rule out doing it again.”