Glasgow Central MP, Alison Thewliss, today challenged the Government’s “abhorrent and vile policy” of making women prove that they have been raped, simply in order to receive tax credits for a third child.
Raising the issue on the floor of the House of Commons for the seventh time since she was elected, Ms Thewliss called upon Chancellor George Osborne – who was standing in for David Cameron at PMQs – to drop the rape clause now.
The Chancellor confirmed that the Government was currently consulting on the policy but Ms Thewliss has called for the proposal to be dropped as a matter of urgency.
Speaking after challenging George Osborne during Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms Thewliss said:
“I’ve now raised this issue with the Government seven times and they still can’t justify this abhorrent and vile policy.
“It is clear that everyone, with the exception of this out of touch Tory Government, know that the policy is totally unworkable and utterly degrading.
“Given that the Prime Minister was not there to answer my question today, I have now written to him to ask that he personally meet me and representatives of women’s groups, and to look us in the eye and seriously justify Government officials interrogating women to prove they’ve had their third child as a result of rape”.