Cruel Policy Pulling 100+ Kids into Poverty Every Day
The SNP has called on Anas Sarwar to finally put protecting Scotland’s children ahead of his relationship with his London bosses and support calls from 120 anti-poverty groups for the two-child benefit cap to be scrapped in this week’s UK Budget.
Members of the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland, including the Child Poverty Action Group, Aberlour, One Parent Families Scotland, Barnardo’s, Children 1st, and Save the Children joined over 120 anti-poverty organisations in making the call for the Chancellor to immediately scrap the limit this week.
The group point to recent analysis showing that, across the UK, 12,500 children – over 100 every day – have now been pulled into poverty as a direct result of the policy since the new Labour Government came to power on 4th July. They say that the “time to act is now” and that “children can’t wait”.
Despite speaking out against the policy while in opposition, Scottish Labour MPs voted against scrapping the cap shortly after coming to power. Meanwhile, their leader Anas Sarwar has remained silent on the issue.
This is a significant intervention by Scotland’s children’s charities, equalities groups and anti-poverty campaigners – all in agreement with the SNP that the cruel two-child cap should be scrapped immediately.
GRAEME
This was the Tory two-child cap, but now it is the Labour two-child cap which is increasing the problem of child poverty.
Scottish Labour are conspicuous in their absence from these calls for the policy to be ditched, with Anas Sarwar’s silence suggesting his Westminster bosses come before vulnerable, struggling people in Scotland.
While the SNP has pioneered the most ambitious anti-poverty policies in the UK, Labour cannnot claim to be serious about tackling child poverty while maintaining the callous benefit cap.
