A SCOTTISH Conservative MSP has claimed that there is no such thing as a rape clause.
Speaking during an interview with Holyrood Magazine, Brian Whittle, the South Scotland list MSP, said that "there’s not a single topic which I will avoid".
On the rape clause, Whittle denied that such a thing exists, preferring to name it an "exemption clause".
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“Well, number one, again, this is where politics is appalling, there is no such thing as a rape clause," said Whittle. "That’s an invention. There’s an exemption clause.”
“Why don’t we call it a children in care clause? Because it’s part of the same thing.
"I’ll tell you what I think about that, there’s a legitimate debate to be had around the child cap that will never happen because, politically, you wouldn’t be allowed to say what you’ve got to say. The term ‘rape clause’ is an invention to beat the Tories with. It’s the invention of another political party.
“Don’t forget, child benefit goes to every single child, and housing allowance, and all that sort of stuff.
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He added: "The reason I didn’t rail against it quite so hard – I railed against the Bedroom Tax – was that it was not retrospective, it was going forward. That’s important. If I plan a family, I will take financial considerations into [account], and I did. I have three daughters, by the way.”
The SNP's Alison Thewliss has been one of the most critical of the UK Government's two-child cap on benefits, more specifically the clause that allows victims of rape to apply for an exemption when their third child is born as a result of non-consensual conception.
Thewliss set up the campaign group Stop The Rape Clause and petitioned the Government to abandon its plans.
The petition was rejected by the Tory government.
During his interview Whittle also touched on the link between Universal Credit and food bank use.
Whittle has recently claimed that in his local area in East Ayrshire has seen a 30% drop in food bank use, however, figures obtained by Holyrood Magazine found this not to be true.
The figure the Scottish Tory MSP was quoting is dated, pulled from 2016/17, a full 12 months before the rollout of Universal Credit.
Food bank use in the area has in fact increased by 12% since the introduction of the controversial new benefits scheme.
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Whittle bristled at the idea that his statement was misleading, repeated the figure: “I go into the food bank and they are brilliant,” he said.
“They tell me what the trends are, what the issues are, some of the things that if you said out loud I would get smashed for. But I am totally aware that Universal Credit has had an impact.
"My point is this: why has it had such a differing impact across constituencies? In 2016/17, East Ayrshire managed to reduce it [demand] by 30%, and I’ve been waiting about a year to actually say that.”
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