MORE than 70 charities, unions, faith groups, health professionals and social policy experts have joined forces to urge the next SNP leader to keep child poverty as a top government priority.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf have been urged to spell out what action they will take on social security, employment, childcare, housing and family support to “ensure no child in Scotland is left in poverty”.
The call has been made in a letter to the candidates for the party leadership, which has been coordinated by End Child Poverty members in Scotland, and comes ahead of the ballot opening for SNP members to start voting tomorrow.
The signatories to the letter include the general secretaries of the STUC, the Unite, Unison and EIS trade unions, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health as well as front-line charities and faith groups across Scotland.
They have urged the SNP leadership candidates to commit to build on what they describe as the “hugely positive progress” made under the current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
In the letter, they say they are pleased to hear the candidates all agree on the need for further increases to the Scottish Child Payment, as despite progress, the job of ending child poverty is still “far from being achieved”.
They have pointed to official statistics showing one in four children are still living in poverty and say rising costs are outstripping additional Scottish Government supports.
Speaking on behalf of members of the End Child Poverty coalition, John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “Huge progress has been made by the Scottish Government to put in place the building blocks needed to end child poverty.
“Investment in the Scottish child payment has relieved pressure on hard pressed families and brought legally binding child poverty targets within reach.
“But far too many children are still locked in hardship, and it is now vital that those vying to be next first minister commit to not just sustain current policies but build on them.”
He added: “We want to hear the candidates spell out what action they will take on social security, employment, childcare, housing and family support to ensure no child in Scotland is left in poverty.”
The Poverty Alliance and The Robertson Trust have organised an online hustings to tackle these big questions.
It will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, March 15, and will be livestreamed.
Jim McCormick, chief executive of the Robertson Trust, said: “With the uneven effects of Covid-19 in Scotland having both exacerbated old inequalities and created new ones, it is imperative that Scotland’s next first minister deepens the Government’s commitment to solving poverty.
“At this timely event, we look forward to hearing candidates’ ideas to design better solutions with others, including employers, housing providers and other funders, to help create a fair and compassionate Scotland where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.”
