Cole-Hamilton responds to poverty report

Responding to new research published by IPPR Scotland, Save the Children and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which found that the Scottish economy is missing out on up to £2.4 billion a year due to the UK and Scottish government’s failure to eradicate poverty, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:  

“In my time as a youth worker, I saw the stubborn and devastating toll that poverty takes on households, families and communities.  

“Today’s report shows that both our governments are spending billions on cleaning up the symptoms, rather than tackling the root causes and preventing people from being plunged into poverty in the first place.  

“The time for talking shops and ministerial platitudes is at an end. We need decisive and transformational action now.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would make publicly funded childcare far more flexible for those outside of the labour market, identify and get help to all those who have suffered adverse childhood experiences and kickstart a national insulation programme to ensure everyone has a warm and secure home to call their own.”