MIDLOTHIAN NORTH AND MUSSELBURGH MSP SLAMS TORY LEADERSHIP HOPEFULS SILENCE ON CHILD POVERTY

SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie has slammed the Tory leadership candidates for their ‘silence’ on child poverty as a new report highlights the scale of the cost of living with Westminster. 
  
A new report from Citizens Advice Scotland on Universal Credit underlines the struggles households across Scotland are facing - revealing that the need for food banks has grown by almost a third (31%) since September 2021.  
  
The report calls for Westminster to immediately uprate Universal Credit and all legacy benefits, a suspension of sanctions, scrapping the benefit cap and the two-child limit, pausing the collection of all DWP and HMRC debts, and converting all Advance Payments at the beginning of UC claims into non-repayable assessment period grants. 
  
Whilst recent research has shown that the efforts of the SNP Scottish Government is making a real difference to those struggling, through actions such as uprating devolved benefits and introducing the ‘game changing’ Scottish Child Payment, Colin Beattie MSP has said ‘progress is being undermined by decades of Westminster austerity policies and a Tory leadership contest ignoring the cost of living crisis.’ 
  
Commenting SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie said: 
  
“It is utterly shameful to see such an increase in foodbank use in a place as wealthy as the UK. Yet, sadly, it’s not surprising that families in Midlothian and East Lothian are struggling to get by as prices continue to rise but Westminster fails to take any meaningful action to help and every single Tory leadership candidate is silent on the matter of child poverty and the cost of living crisis. 
  
“Research shows the actions of the SNP Scottish Government are making a real difference to those in Midlothian and East Lothian struggling as it’s doing all it can with the powers at its disposal to support households through these tough times, but these efforts are constantly fighting against cruel Westminster policies.  

“The Tories silence on poverty has been deafening and it’s clear that the last thing people in Midlothian and East Lothian need is a different Prime Minister - we need a different future with independence and the full welfare powers it gives Scotland to build a fairer, wealthier and happier country.” 
  

Citizens Advice Scotland Report