STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

NOT a single Glasgow MSP has backed the DWP plans to close half the city’s jobcentres.

SNP, Labour and Green members are all united in the effort to halt the closures completely and the two Tory MSPs have concerns about extra travel distances for claimants.

The Evening Times contacted each of our eight constituency MSPs and the seven regional list MSPs to ask if they supported the DWP proposals.

The DWP said it will listen to elected members opinions.

As the issue is due to be debated in Holyrood today, none gave the closures their express backing.

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, SNP MSP for Southside, said: “Tory plans to close half of the job centres across Glasgow are entirely unreasonable in both their scale and potential impact.

“These closures will hit vulnerable customers who struggle to access services the hardest – with increased transport costs and additional time taken to travel, particularly those required to register daily or weekly. That increases the threat of sanctions, which is a serious concern.”

Anas Sawar, Labour MSP, said: “This is a senseless cut to a vital local resource. This will negatively impact those who need the support most, that’s why Labour is demanding that the DWP reverses this decision. Anything less would be a betrayal of Glasgow.”

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP, said: “I’ve spoken against the closures, and written to the UK Government about it. We held a walk on Friday morning from Bridgeton Jobcentre to the Shettleston one to highlight the impact of the closures.”

The city’s two Tory MSPs were less critical in their comments than others and appeared sympathetic to the reasoning behind the closures but still had concerns over the consultation and travel times which they had raised with the DWP and ministers.

Adam Tomkins, Glasgow Conservative MSP said of the consultation on just three of the eight (including Cambuslang) affected: “This would appear to mean that there will be no consultation with regard to the other five closures. I have continued to express this concern to DWP officials and they are fully aware of it.”

Conservative colleague, Annie Wells, said: “The important thing is no-one using the Jobcentre is left with an unreasonable distance to travel to access the service.

“We will be clear in the need for this to be properly assessed both through the debate in the Parliament this week and through the DWP’s online consultation.”

Every other City representative at Holyrood spoke out against the plans and backed the campaign to stop the closures.

Pollok SNP MSP, Humza Yousaf, said: “At a time of increasingly draconian welfare cuts and sanctions it is a cruel measure even by this Tory Government’s standards.”

Provan SNP MSP, Ivan McKee , said: “They will hit the most vulnerable in society, they add costs for travel to people who can ill afford it, and, as often two buses will be required, they increase the risk of late appointments and hence sanctions.”

Johann Lamont, Labour MSP, said: “I oppose these ill thought through and damaging plans and very much welcome the Evening Times campaign to challenge these decisions.”

Pauline McNeill, Labour MSP said: “The basis for closures is not supported by evidence. “Imposing additional travel costs and time on to people who are already struggling is a continuation of the humiliating and degrading policies of this Government.”

James Dornan, Cathcart SNP MSP, said: “I back the campaign to keep them open. Two are in my constituency and I was out campaigning on this on Saturday.”

John Mason, Shettleston SNP MSP, said: “I find it absolutely outrageous that the DWP are trying to make it even harder for those in the most deprived areas of our city to get the benefits they are entitled to.”

Sandra White, Kelvin SNP MSP, said: “I fully back retention of job centres. It is deeply concerning that people will be hit even more simply because they find themselves unemployed.”

James Kelly, Labour MSP, said: “These proposals are an obstacle to finding work as the proposed new set up makes it more difficult to access a jobcentre. It is an attack on those who need help and support at a difficult time.

“The Evening Times campaign has my full support and I am sure people in Glasgow will get right behind these efforts to halt the jobcentre closures.”

Bill Kidd, Anniesland SNP MSP said: “I strongly support the Evening Times campaign and congratulate you on standing up for your readership in this.

“Having used the Anniesland Jobcentre myself in the past I know how difficult it would be to have to access another office further away.”

Bob Doris, Maryhill and Springburn SNP MSP, said: “The DWP has targeted some of the most vulnerable and are placing further barriers to employment in front of them, as well as raising the risk of hardship and sanctions.”

The plan also includes closing Cambuslang Jobcentre and moving it to Rutherglen.

Clare Haughey, SNP MSP for Rutherglen, said:“The outrageous decision to close half the Job Centres in the Glasgow region, including the Cambuslang Job Centre in my own Constituency,

smacks of an overreach reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher’s Poll Tax.

"This is just another example of the disregard the Tories hold for Scotland, and especially for the unemployed and underemployed in our communities.”