Kirk fears political policies could adversely affect the poor

|PIC1|The Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council said it recognised that “hard measures” would have to be taken to reduce the UK’s debt following the credit crunch.

At its party conference this week, the Conservatives pledged to reassess the fitness of those who claim to be unable to work and cut incapacity benefits by £25 a week if they win the next General Election. They also confirmed plans to raise the pension age for men to 66 by 2016.

The Council called on the Government to ensure cuts were “proportionate and bearable”, saying that it had listened with “increasing concern” to the talk on cuts from the political parties at their conferences in recent weeks.

It expressed particular concern at policies that would affect the income of lower paid workers, people fleeing persecution and those reliant on benefits.

The Council urged the Government to recognise God’s “bias towards the poor and the vulnerable” in its approach to difficulties brought on by the credit crunch.

The parties, it said, should make protection of the poor and vulnerable their top priority as they respond to present challenges.

Convener of the Church and Society Council, the Rev Ian Galloway, said: “It is the mark of a civilised society that we support those in greatest need, not attack them when times get tough, because they are the easiest target.”