‘You can’t get into work if you’re dead’: Esther McVey heckled at Scottish Parliament Angry heckling from members of the public disrupted an appearance by Esther McVey at the Scottish Parliament, with one telling […]

Angry heckling from members of the public disrupted an appearance by Esther McVey at the Scottish Parliament, with one telling her: “You can’t get into work if you’re dead”.

The Work and Pensions Secretary was giving evidence to MSPs on the Social Security Committee, but the session had to be suspended twice after shouts were heard from the public gallery.

“I am not oblivious to people who are incredibly vulnerable or who are in need” The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Esther McVey

The first outburst occurred after the SNP’s Ben MacPherson asked Ms McVey to apologise for the “suffering and distress” caused by the “cynical” Universal Credit benefits system.

The scheme was intended to simplify the system by combining several benefits into one payment, but has proved controversial due to the length of time it takes claimants to receive their money.

Mr MacPherson asked Ms McVey if she would like to apologise to those affected, but when she insisted that Universal Credit was a “supportive system”, angry shouts were heard from the gallery.

One audience member said some benefits claimants had committed suicide, shouting “You can’t get into work if you’re dead” and causing the session to be suspended.

When it was reconvened, Ms McVey said: “I am not oblivious to people who are incredibly vulnerable or who are in need, and obviously the gentleman felt he needed to have his points said about something that was very important to him and about somebody who was very vulnerable.”

Rape clause

However, later in the session she was heckled again over the so-called “rape clause”, where women have to prove conception through non-consensual sex to qualify for tax credits for a third child.

Ms McVey said the provision could offer women “double support” by giving them money as well as an opportunity to talk that they may have “never had before”.

This prompted another audience member to begin shouting before walking out, leading to the meeting being suspended for a second time.

Asked about evidence that Universal Credit has pushed people into debt and led to rising food bank use in Scotland, Ms McVey argued that in many cases their debt was historical.

The SNP’s George Adam said the system was causing “financial mayhem”, telling the minister that one of his constituents had been sanctioned while he was hospital following a heart attack.

She replied that Universal Credit was “fit for purpose”, with ministers taking a “learn-as-you-go approach” to make sure that any problems could be taken into account.

Ms McVey also asked for the name and address of the man who suffered the heart attack, adding that the system was working for the “vast, vast majority”.

Mr Adam said to describe Universal Credit as fit for purpose was “completely devoid from the real world”.