The SNP has come under heavy fire after only two MPs backed proposed laws which would exempt disabled people from the so-called “bedroom tax”.
Only Angus representative Mike Weir and Banff and Buchan’s Dr Eilidh Whiteford supported getting Liberal Democrat Andrew George’s Affordable Homes Bill over its first Commons hurdle.
Neither Dundee East’s Stewart Hosie nor Perth and North Perthshire’s Pete Wishart made it to the vote, with both blaming the debate’s shortening by an hour and a half for ruining travel arrangements.
However, the pair were attacked by Labour’s Dundee West MP Jim McGovern, who said: “I am shocked that so many SNP MPs failed to vote against the bedroom tax.
“We had before us an opportunity to make a real difference to those in Dundee who have been hurt by this policy. I and my Labour colleagues seized that opportunity but the SNP were nowhere to be seen.”
MSP Jenny Marra added: “It is astonishing that Stewart Hosie failed to turn up in Parliament to vote for many of his disabled constituents to be relieved of the bedroom tax.”
Mr Hosie said he and his Perthshire colleague were at Edinburgh Airport and set to make it to Westminster in time for the end of parliamentary business at 2.30pm but a division can happen any time from 9.30am before they heard the vote was being called at 1pm. The Treasury spokesman also said that an earlier flight had been delayed.
“Both Pete and I cancelled constituency events to be at the vote,” he said. “However, we were slightly delayed and as we were ready to board our flight we heard the motion was being closed early and we were unlikely to make it.
“The pair of us were en route. Sometimes these things happen and we are disappointed not to have made it.”
Mr Hosie added: “I’m absolutely delighted the Liberal motion went through with the support of Labour and the SNP. It helps but it doesn’t actually repeal the bedroom tax. Only a Yes vote can repeal the bedroom tax.”
Mr Wishart said: “We were on our way down but the Liberals brought it forward to 1pm.”
As well as Mr Hosie and Mr Wishart, neither SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson, nor Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP Angus MacNeil were present for the vote.
The Bill will now get a second reading after being passed by 306 to 231, a majority of 75.
Despite a three-line whip ordering MPs to attend, 70 Tories did not take part in the vote and one, Ealing Central and Acton MP Angie Bray, voted for the Bill.
All Liberal Democrat ministers supported the Bill, with the exception of Nick Clegg, who was at the Nato summit.
The Bill proposes that disabled people are excluded from the policy entirely and social housing tenants are given a reprieve until they receive a “reasonable offer” of alternative accommodation with the “correct number of bedrooms”.