MSPs have sent out a strong signal about their anger over changes to the benefits system by refusing to back Westminster's Welfare Reform Bill.
It was the first time in 12 years that Holyrood has not passed a legislative consent motion granting Westminster the right to stray into the competence of the Scottish Parliament. It was also a rare occasion where SNP and Labour MSPs were united in voting together.
Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reforms will still go ahead south of the Border but last night's overwhelming vote means Holyrood will now have to enact its own primary legislation covering the Scottish end of the proposed reforms.
These cover "passport" issues where qualifying for a UK benefit triggers other non-DHSS entitlements, such as free school meals or disabled parking.
Anti-poverty campaigners praised the stance taken by MSPs, while the SNP and Labour rounded on Liberal Democrats for voting with the Tories – as in the Westminster Coalition.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, who had appealed for MSPs to take a stand, said: "This will be the first refusal of legislative consent in the lifetime of this Parliament. The fact it's not a blanket refusal shows that we don't take it lightly.
"But it is right that we in this Parliament stand up for the most vulnerable in our society."
She argued that Westminster should be able to legislate on areas of the Bill covering data-sharing, industrial injuries disablement benefit and the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission.
Ms Sturgeon, who is also Deputy First Minister, said she supports efforts to simplify the benefits system. But she added measures put forward by Mr Duncan Smith amount to cost-cutting.
Ms Sturgeon said: "We recognise the welfare system is broken and needs to be fixed, but we will not endorse proposals that seek to fix it at the expense of some of our most vulnerable people."
She said benefits receipts in Scotland would be reduced by £2.5 billion by 2015, with £1bn coming from disabled people and their families, adding: "Though these reforms are not of our making, the people of Scotland will be paying the price of them for a long time to come."
Her Labour shadow, Jackie Baillie, called the reforms the "most significant attack" on the welfare state in her lifetime.
But she said there were also challenges for the SNP administration, adding: "They have known about the UK Government's intentions with the Welfare Reform Bill for almost a year, yet even the most basic questions about what the Scottish Government will do have yet to be answered."
Scottish Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said the SNP and Labour at Holyrood had brought forward a "hollow blank canvas of lurid rhetoric".
For the Liberal Democrats Liam McArthur said: "At best, it seems to be a gesture, but one with potentially serious consequences."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "We are pleased the Scottish Government recognises the welfare system needs urgent reform so it's fair, simpler and that work always pays.
"These reforms will end the cycle of generations of Scots living a life on benefits whilst ensuring those people who need our help and support get it unconditionally."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article