Child poverty will rise

A Paisley MP is warning child poverty will reach record highs because of continuing Tory welfare cuts.

Mhairi Black, SNP member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, spoke out as research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies shows – in the next five years –a record 5.2 million youngsters will be forced into poverty.

These figures on child poverty are the highest ever recorded since records began in 1961.

Ms Black said: “Current Tory welfare policy is designed to keep the most vulnerable in society in poverty and the UK Government paint a picture that these cuts are happening to strengthen our economy.

“Children are going to bed without dinner, but we can afford to renovate palaces.

“Foodbanks are running out of supplies, but this is ok because we have multibillion pound nuclear missiles.

“The hypocrisy that comes with Tory austerity is shocking and this is highlighted in the IFS research into child poverty.

“The good work that people, organisations and politicians have done to reduce child poverty over the years is at risk of being for nothing if Tory welfare cuts continue under the mask of the austerity agenda.”

She added the sharp spike in child poverty figures is due to controversial welfare policies such as benefit sanctions, the rollout of Universal credit and the family cap, particularly impacting those families that will be affected by the twochild limit on means tested benefits.