Tories to force vote on asylum seeker free bus travel

The Scottish Tories are to force a vote in Holyrood on the Scottish Government’s plans to extend free bus travel to asylum seekers.

The party announced the move on Tuesday after the policy was brought back in the budget last week, having previously been scrapped as a savings measure.

MSPs voted in October to support the return of the scheme by 68 votes to 27 with 20 abstentions in a debate brought by the Scottish Greens.

But Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said its return shows how “out-of-touch” the Scottish Government are, urging opposition MSPs to back their push to block it.

“That’s why we’re forcing a vote on this budget measure this week in Parliament to show it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are on the side of the public on this issue,” he added.

“The SNP and the other left-wing parties at Holyrood are completely disconnected from Scots and believe this policy is the right thing to do. We disagree.

“The £2 million earmarked to dish out free bus passes to asylum seekers would be better off giving thousands of Scots pensioners a winter fuel payment right now.

“Taxpayers are sick and tired of the SNP wasting their money on their own projects. Last week’s budget is another scandalous example of the SNP failing to ensure that it delivers best value for them.

“I urge all opposition parties to join the Scottish Conservatives in showing some common sense and call on the SNP to ditch free bus travel for asylum seekers.”

Scottish Greens social security spokesperson Maggie Chapman accused the Tories of “using the rights of people seeking asylum as a political football”.

She said: “This is just typical nasty and cynical politics from a toxic Tory Party that would rather pit marginalised groups against each other than work to provide solutions.

“The Scottish Greens brought a vote on this policy only a matter of weeks ago, and MSPs from across the chamber overwhelmingly backed it.”

She said the change is “small and compassionate step that will make a big difference to the lives of people who have been forced into state-sanctioned poverty”.

Ms Chapman added: “(The Tories) are using the rights of people seeking asylum as a political football.

“It is a transparent attempt to fan the flames of hate and division in a bid to win far-right votes from Reform.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Extending free bus travel to people seeking asylum would support those who receive very limited support for living costs from the UK Government while waiting for an asylum decision, enabling them to access essential services and to contribute to their local community.

“This is set out as part of the 2025/26 Scottish Budget which delivers record investment to improve our NHS, provides universal winter heating support for pensioners, puts in place the mechanism to end the impact of the two-child cap and increases investment in housing to deliver at least 8,000 new homes.”