TOP Tories were given a “healthy dose of reality” as trade unionists and anti austerity campaigners descended on their Scottish conference in Edinburgh yesterday.

Demonstrators from the Scottish People’s Assembly, the People’s NHS campaign and unions Unite, Unison, EIS and GMB joined the lobby of the conference organised by the Scottish TUC.

STUC assistant secretary Helen Martin pronounced the Tory view of the economy to be quite different from that of ordinary working people.

Ms Martin said: “In the Tories’ view everything is fine — but they are totally out of touch with the lives of working people and we need to kick them out on May 7.

“We’re here today to give the Tory delegates a healthy dose of reality and show them the truth about how people really live — and struggle to survive the Tory austerity assault.”

She also attacked the Tories’ belief in youth employment projects which force people to work for nothing — and their belief that people who live on benefits choose to do so because they’re workshy.

Ms Martin told how the STUC was implacably opposed to the Tory austerity programme.

“Right now 400,000 Scots work for less than a living wage.

“We have 80,000 workers on zeroshours contracts.

“15,000 Scottish children are dependent on food banks.

“And 100,000 Scots are set to lose disability benefits,” she stormed.