Deputy First Minister of Scotland Jenny Gilruth defended the SNP’s benefits bill on Sunday and brushed off questions about looming cuts that could see 11,000 public sector jobs slashed. In an interview on the Sunday Show, Gilruth was pressed over the scale of the spending and whether the government was being upfront about what comes next.
Asked directly about the pressure on the welfare budget, Gilruth said she did not think it was too high. “I don’t think it is too high. When public finances are stretched, the last place we should be looking is at the most vulnerable and poor,” she said. She added: “I make no apology for that.”
Her defence matters now because the SNP Government’s benefits bill is expected to reach £9bn by 2031, a figure that is feeding a sharper row over how Scotland pays for its devolved spending choices. Gilruth said the party had been upfront about the financial challenges facing the country and argued that Scotland needs a welfare system that protects people in difficulty. “We have a welfare approach in Scotland that treats people with dignity and respect. We need to be mindful we are talking about children, we are talking about poor people. We need to invest in our public service,” she said.
She also dismissed criticism over the size of the government machine, saying: “I don’t think there are too many special advisers.” That line is likely to fuel the wider political fight, because the debate is no longer just about benefits but about how the government handles a tightening budget while trying to defend its priorities.
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy said Gilruth’s comments would alarm hard-working Scots already paying the highest taxes in the UK. He said the SNP had a ballooning benefits bill and accused it of having no intention of addressing the £5 billion black hole in Scotland’s finances. Scottish Labour finance spokesperson Michael Marra said harsh cuts are looming as a result of the SNP’s actions and warned that Scots still do not have answers about what lies ahead.
The financial squeeze is expected to shape the months ahead, with incoming austerity possibly including portfolio efficiency targets and sharing services. Rivals have cast the government as secretive and out of touch, and Marra said there is now a dedicated Minister for Cuts in the SNP government while the deputy first minister is still keeping Scots in the dark about where those cuts will fall. For now, Gilruth is standing by the welfare bill; the unanswered question is whether the government can defend it without soon cutting somewhere else.
