Tory Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has been invited to return to the deprived Glasgow community where he reportedly underwent a Road To Damascus-style conversion to “compassionate conservatism”.
In February 2002, when leader of the Tories, Duncan Smith was said to have been so moved by the poverty he witnessed in the east end that he vowed to rethink welfare policy – a moment which entered the political lexicon as the ‘Easterhouse Epiphany’.
Now the SNP MP for the area, Natalie McGarry, has written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and urged him to “re-engage”.
McGarry said: “When he visited last time he spoke about his belief in ‘compassionate conservatism’ and that ‘everyone should have enough money to live properly in their community’.
“It is clear that many in my constituency are not only unable to do that, but in fact their lives have made significantly worse by the actions of Iain Duncan Smith’s department.
“I hope that my sincere invitation is accepted and Mr Duncan Smith will be able to see that first hand.”
A DWP spokesman refused to confirm whether Duncan Smith would return to Easterhouse.
She said: “Our welfare reforms are transforming the lives of some of the poorest families in our communities.”
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