Scots families should not be skipping meals
A Poverty Alliance survey has revealed that one-in-three Scots on a low income are struggling to put food on the table, as Scotland pays a heavy price for the Tories’ unrelenting austerity agenda.
The study shows that too many ordinary Scots claim they are skipping meals, unable to pay bills and borrowing to get by – with many wishing they could save up or afford to socialise more.
In a wealthy country like Scotland this is an absolute disgrace.
But do you really expect anything else from the toxic Tories?
This is one of the many reasons that we must ensure that Scotland sends a strong group of MPs back to Westminster after the General Election in June.
According to the survey, 46 per cent of those earning less than £14,000 are so stressed about their finances that it is negatively affecting their work life.
It is expected that the latest Tory welfare policies, such as the family cap and rape clause, will drag hundreds of thousands more children below the poverty line – leaving working families unable to make up for the cuts.
This research paints a stark picture of the harsh reality of life under the Tories for far too many ordinary Scots and their families.
Cuts to Tax Credits, in particular, are pushing working parents of children into poverty.
Over the last four years, the SNP in Government has spent more than £350 million mitigating against such inhumane Tory austerity cuts as the bedroom tax, and we are now fighting a similar battle over the rape clause.
It is important that we do not let the Tories off the hook and continue to use money earmarked for devolved public services to mitigate every bad Tory policy, while the Treasury pockets the money that should be in the pockets of hard working parents.
Scotland knows there has always been a price for voting Tory – but the price of voting Tory at this election has never been higher.