Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deirdre Brock is calling upon constituents to sign a petition which seeks to scrap the UK Government’s rape clause.
The proposals from the UK Government would require a woman who has a third child as the result of rape to justify her position in order to avoid losing tax credits. The plan to restrict child tax credits to just two children for new claimants is due to commence in 2017 and is part of the UK Government’s wider austerity agenda.
The local MP is calling upon constituents in Edinburgh North and Leith to sign a House of Commons petition and put pressure on the Government to drop the ‘appalling’ plans.
Speaking from the House of Commons, she said: “The policy on limiting tax credits to the first two children is appalling and tantamount to social engineering, but to put a woman who has been raped in a position where she needs to declare that to a government official is just abhorrent. This also stigmatises the child involved, which is surely against the UN convention on the rights of the child. This proposal has no place in the twenty-first century and must be dropped immediately.
“We have raised this issue on the floor of the House of Commons on numerous occasions – yet the Government still can’t explain how it will work and remains hell bent on pressing ahead with this draconian procedure.
“I would urge as many people as possible to visit
and add their voice to the many others calling upon the Government to drop this appalling proposal.”
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