THE Westminster government must “do the right thing” and abandon its welfare cuts aganda, according to the Scottish social justice secretary.

SNP’s Shirley-Anne Somerville made the remarks after Labour’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill passed its first legislative hurdle at Westminster, despite the biggest rebellion of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership so far.

Ms Somerville said: “Despite the panicked, last-minute concessions they have made, if the UK government presses ahead with cuts to disability support, they will plunge more people into poverty.

“That is unconscionable.

“They need to properly listen to the overwhelming criticism their proposals have generated and do the right thing by disabled people by abandoning this Bill entirely.

“I want to reassure disabled people in Scotland, that the Scottish government will not cut Scotland’s Adult Disability Payment, we will not let disabled people down as the UK government has done.”

The call echoed those of Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman, one of just four Scottish Labour MPs — alongside Irene Campbell, Tracey Gilbert, and Euan Stainbank — to vote against the proposals.

He told the Star: “Impoverishing the most vulnerable people in society is what the Tories do and serious questions need to be asked as to why Labour leadership brought such a wickedly cruel Bill to Parliament. 

“How we treat the most vulnerable is a measurement of the country we live in and consigning people into poverty is fundamentally against every Labour Party value.

“Even after yesterday’s debacle, there is still time for the government to do the right thing and withdraw the Bill and start again by consulting disability organisations and collaborating to design a welfare system worthy of the people who will need it.”