'Cruel' two child payment cap is forcing West Lothian families into poverty

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day has called on the Tories and Labour to commit to ending the ’cruel’ two child cap after figures revealed by the Poverty Alliance showed that over 250,000 children in Scotland have been pushed into poverty by Westminster.The data, released to coincide with the beginning of Challenge Poverty Week 2023 - which runs until Sunday - shows that in Linlithgow and East Falkirk 6365 children are living in poverty.Martyn Day praised the work of the Scottish Government in its efforts to reduce child poverty through policies like the Scottish Child Payment, which gives families £25 per week for every child under 16, but warned Westminster’s cost of living crisis and the austerity measures supported by both the Tories and Labour risked that work being undone.He said: "The beginning of this years 'Challenge Poverty week' should serve as a wake up call to the Tories and Labour, with these shocking figures revealing the number of children that have been pushed into poverty over thirteen years of Westminster austerity."On the other hand, the SNP Scottish Government is committed to tackling poverty, through policies such as the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grants which have helped to lift 90,000 children out of poverty - that is a record to be proud of.“But these achievements are at risk of being undone as more and more families are consigned to poverty by Westminster.“It’s time for both the Tories, and Labour whose shameful endorsement of this policy could see it last another parliamentary term, commit to ending the cruel two child cap and associated rape clause."Scotland should not be held back by a government we didn’t elect in Westminster - it is only with the full powers of