Budget offers a chance to help those in need

AS he puts the finishing touches to his third Budget, SNP Finance Secretary Derek Mackay is in a uniquely privileged position to make Scotland a better place.

Given the tax and social security powers at his disposal, he has the ability to transform lives and put more money into the pockets of the people who need it the most.

Ahead of every Budget, the Government faces calls to cut tax and boost public sector pay. The danger for the Finance Minister is he ends up pleasing nobody by trying to placate everybody.

As we reveal today, a coalition of church leaders, charities and anti-deprivation groups has called on Mackay to use Holyrood’s powers to cut child poverty levels by raising child benefit.

The Finance Minister should heed this demand. Around 230,000 children live in poverty in Scotland and a £5-a-week rise in child benefit would make a dent in the figures.

He should also embrace Scottish Labour’s idea of scrapping the two-child limit for tax credits, a Government programme that benefits low-income Scots.

The response by SNP figures to both policy ideas has been woefully timid. They argue that the tax credit plan is based on “mitigating” bad Tory policy. It is also suggested that a child benefit rise helps middle-income earners.

However, people who are poor are in desperate need of an income top-up now, not in 2022.

Mackay should lift the floor by targeting resources at the bottom. Cutting child poverty should be this Government’s first priority.