The police in the British province of Scotland believe there is a direct link between dramatic rise in crimes in the country, including robberies, and the government’s welfare policy.
Results of a report by Police Scotland published on Saturday said the Conservative-led government’s introduction of the so-called Universal Credit, which seeks to fully replace a range of benefits with a lump-sum payment, is to blame for a nearly 30-percent increase in the number of robberies over the past five years.
The Scottish Police Authority recorded a 12-percent increase in robberies between April and June this year, compared to the previous year, with a total 880 cases. It said a same rising trend had been observed in the same period since 2013.
The police said in a statement that “anecdotal evidence from intelligence suggests that a combination of increased drug prices due to police enforcement, and changes to welfare systems, may have contributed…