Rennie responds to poverty statistics

Responding to new statistics which show that between 2018 and 2022 10% of people in Scotland, including 14% of children, were in persistent poverty after housing costs, with children living in relative poverty increasing to 260,000 in 2022-23, Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said:

“The SNP promised to reduce child poverty substantially by 2030, but it looks like we’re headed in the wrong direction.

“These dismal figures should be a point of shame for both our governments. While the SNP have failed to build the thousands of homes promised for social rent, the Conservatives’ devastating cuts to social security have put more and more people at greater risk of poverty.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to turn a tide on this scandal, and that’s why we want to see an expansion of funded childcare to make it accessible for all and an extension of free meals to all primary school children.”