Theresa May faces huge criticism after defending 'rape clause' shake up to child tax credits
The Prime Minister has faced a barrage of criticism after she defended the ‘rape clause’ that has been introduced as part of a shake up of child tax credits.
Under the new policy, parents cannot claim tax credits for more than two children. However, women who have a child as a result of rape are exempt – providing that they disclose their ordeal and fill in a form to receive the benefits.
But while Theresa May insists that there is a ‘principle of fairness’ behind the welfare shake-up, she has faced intense criticism..
???? Today @NicolaSturgeon visited @shaktiedinburgh, ahead of the @scotparl debate on the #familycap and #rapeclause. pic.twitter.com/xt7McdPogR
— The SNP (@theSNP) April 25, 2017
As she spoke at Holyrood, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon slammed the ‘sheer inhumanity’ of the policy after it was defended by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.
She said: ‘No woman anywhere should have to prove she’s been raped in order to get tax credits for their child. I can’t believe in 2017 that I’m having to stand up in the Scottish Parliament and make that argument.’
Similar criticism came from SNP Politician John Nicholson, who slammed the rape clause as ‘absolutely disgraceful’.
At #pmqs Theresa May defends the #rapeclause Absolutely disgraceful. Tory MPs look embarrassed.
— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) April 26, 2017
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also heaped praise on Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, after she delivered an ‘powerful’ rally against the welfare shake up.
In an impassioned address to Holyrood, she read an emotional email from a woman who had been raped four years ago and praised the credits for being an effective financial ‘buffer’.
But in the face of the new policy, Dugdale was highly critical.
In case you missed it, watch @KezDugdale stand up to the awful Tory "rape clause" in a powerful speech to Holyrood https://t.co/oMyoycMR9s pic.twitter.com/qs4tksS1Ia
— Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) April 26, 2017
She said: ‘This heartbreaking letter from a rape victim exposes the reality of the Tory rape clause. Or the ‘awful form of shame’, as she puts it.
‘That is the burden this Tory government wants to put on victims of rape because it doesn’t want to pay for more than two children in a poor family. It is an absolutely sickening state of affairs.
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‘It’s not the author of that letter, or any other rape victim, who should feel shame. It is those on the Tory benches here and in Westminster who refuse to act who should feel shame.’
