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Cameron to Continue Devolution of Powers to Scotland - EP Member

© AFP 2023 / THIERRY CHARLIER British Prime Minister David Cameron talks to the media at the end of a European Union Summit held at the EU Council building in Brussels
British Prime Minister David Cameron talks to the media at the end of a European Union Summit held at the EU Council building in Brussels - Sputnik International
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Green Party's Member of the European Parliament Jean Lambert claims that Cameron will have to grant more powers to Scotland in order to build bridges between Edinburgh and London.

LONDON (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — Re-elected UK Prime Minister David Cameron will have to grant more powers to Scotland in order to build bridges between Edinburgh and London, Jean Lambert, Green Party's Member of the European Parliament, told Sputnik Friday.

In the general election held on May 7, the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) took a historical lead over the Labour in Scotland, winning 56 out of 59 Scottish seats available at Westminster.

“That is the price he has got to pay for treating Scotland as if it is a threat to the future prosperity of the United Kingdom," Lambert said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron (2L), Home Secretary Theresa May (C) and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (2R) - Sputnik International
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She added that during the election campaign, Cameron warned that the strong presence of the SNP at Westminster is a threat to the UK unity.

"There will be great irony if David Cameron, who represents Conservative and Unionist party, … may actually end up being the prime minister who gives more devolved power to Scotland than any other prime minister,” Green Party's member concluded.

The SNP was behind the September 2014 referendum on Scotland's membership in the United Kingdom.

The vote has failed, but the SNP has seen a fourfold increase in membership over the past two years – to 110,000 as of this spring.

Lambert also added that Britain is in for even greater poverty rates after the majority Conservative government goes ahead with the plan to cut billions of pounds in social benefits.

"We are going to see a lot more people in poverty because of these cuts," Jean Lambert said, adding the country would face another five years of economic policy "which is still going to be very much for the benefit of the better off, and will not do anything to tackle poverty."

Oxfam charity estimates that one in five Brits lives below the official poverty line.

A traditional bastion of the British aristocracy, the Conservatives campaigned on a pledge of reducing excessive welfare funding and more responsible public spending, as well as the promotion of private enterprises.

Another 3.6 million people, including 1.2 million children, will live in poverty in Britain by 2030, UK think tank the Fabian Society said - Sputnik International
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Lambert pointed to the growing inequality in the British society that she said would continue throughout the next parliament, with the Tories offering low-wage work and zero-hours contracts to workers.

"I think that in five years' time, the coming government will have a really difficult job to actually tackle the increasing levels of poverty in society. We will have even bigger crisis," she predicted.

The Conservatives won 331 seats in the next parliament, securing a majority government.

Ahead of Thursday's general election, the Liberal Democratic party accused Tories of trying to hide billions of pounds in welfare cuts, including reduced child benefits and child tax credits.

In a televised Q&A session last week, Tory leader David Cameron denied having plans to slash child benefits, but said other welfare cuts were not off the table.

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