THE SNP have challenged Labour to introduce an emergency child poverty budget immediately after the election, ahead of a special debate on poverty in Glasgow.
Speaking at the Aberlour debate on Monday, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart is set to challenge Keir Starmer to commit to an emergency package of measures to reverse child poverty in the UK, including an end to the two-child benefits cap.
Stewart warned that Labour will “push thousands of Scottish children into poverty by extending Tory welfare cuts and imposing £18 billion cuts to public services”, calling on Starmer to match the Scottish Government’s Scottish Child Payment across the UK, to introduce an essentials guarantee and to abolish the bedroom tax.
Aberlour is Scotland’s biggest child poverty charity and has organised a special elections husting in Glasgow, where it has invited parties to be quizzed by children and young people on their plan to ease child poverty.
It comes as the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned 670,000 more children will be hit by the two-child benefit cap by the end of the next Parliament.
The policy, which the Labour Party has not committed to abolishing, is widely considered the biggest driver of child poverty in the UK.
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The IFS research, published on Monday, shows 250,000 children will be hit by the policy over the next year alone. Labour have not committed to abolishing the policy in its manifesto, which was released on Thursday.
The research shows that when fully rolled out, the policy will affect one in five children, costing families an average of £4300 a year, equivalent to 10% of their income. Among the poorest fifth of households, it states 38% will be affected.
Commenting, Stewart (below) said: "Damaging Tory welfare cuts, supported by Keir Starmer's Labour Party, are the leading driver of child poverty in the UK.
“It's a scandal - and it shows why it's vital to vote SNP on 4th July to oppose the cuts, tackle child poverty and put Scotland's interests first.
"The Labour Party will push thousands of Scottish children into poverty by extending Tory welfare cuts and imposing £18 billion cuts to public services.
"In contrast, the SNP is calling for Starmer to commit to an emergency child poverty budget immediately following the election - to abolish the two-child cap, reverse Tory welfare cuts, and match the Scottish Child Payment UK-wide.
"The SNP has put eradicating child poverty at the heart of our election campaign. We've lifted 100,000 children out of poverty with progressive policies like the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grant - and it's time for Westminster to reverse the damage they've done.
"Every SNP MP elected on July 4 will oppose Starmer's cuts, prioritise tackling poverty, and help secure a future made in Scotland - for Scotland."
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