I've experienced life of characters in I, Daniel Blake, MP tells benefits debate
An SNP MP has shared her experiences of living on benefits, saying of I, Daniel Blake: "I don't need to see it, I've lived it."
An SNP MP has shared her experiences of living on benefits, saying of I, Daniel Blake: "I don't need to see it, I've lived it."
Anne McLaughlin said she felt "powerless" and low on confidence three years ago as she struggled to find work after a two-year stint as a member of the Scottish Parliament.
The MP for Glasgow North East said she turned down a chance to speak to six people who worked in an industry she wanted to establish a business in after being refused permission to switch her signing-on day.
Ms McLaughlin said she took this decision as she "couldn't afford to lose unlimited amounts" of her "meagre" income.
She added her desire to show herself as a serious business person meant she did not want to say she could not attend as she had to sign on.
Ms McLaughlin told MPs she "lied unconvincingly" and was not offered more opportunities, adding: "The decision - this is only three years ago - didn't make me any more likely to find work, it made me far less likely to find work.
"I felt powerless and my confidence went and I continued to apply for jobs, but how many jobs do you think you're going to be offered when the words you're putting down are quite clear that you're not feeling it and you don't have the confidence to do that job?"
Ms McLaughlin made the remarks as MPs debated the second reading of the Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill.
This was proposed by her SNP colleague, Mhairi Black, and designed to ensure the process for deciding if sanctions should be applied is governed by "clear cut rules".
Ms McLaughlin said her good experiences while seeking work included having an adviser who had "faith" in her and built her confidence.
But she said: "I'd already been a Member of the Scottish Parliament. It's not like I was lacking in confidence.
"But it goes like that when people treat you as if you're some sort of child, or some sort of work-shy person who doesn't want to go out there and earn your own living.
"Nobody doesn't want to work. Anybody who doesn't apply for work, there are reasons for it and we need to investigate those reasons - lacking in confidence."
Ms McLaughlin, turning to Ken Loach's critically acclaimed film, added: "I haven't seen the film I, Daniel Blake.
"I feel like I just need to go to a surgery and I don't need to watch it - I will go and watch it, and I think we should all thank Ken Loach for making that film.
"I do want everyone to watch it.
"I'm not saying members of the Conservative Party don't know anything about real life. I wouldn't say that.
"But for those who have not experienced anything like this, please go and watch it - they said it was fiction but it's based on fact."
One Tory MP could be heard saying: "But you've not seen it."
Ms McLaughlin replied: "I don't need to see it, I've lived it. I do not have to see it but I will go and see it."