By stewartb
The following was written by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRT) – the charity that researches and campaigns to tackle poverty in the UK – in 2019:
“The Scottish Government’s decisive and compassionate move to bring in the new Scottish Child Payment is the lifeline children and their families need, and is a BEACON OF PROGRESSIVE POLICY for the rest of the UK’
‘This rightly has been LAUDED AS A LANDMARK MOMENT and the MOST PROGRESSIVE POLICY BROUGHT IN SINCE DEVOLUTION 20 years ago. We’ve now seen the Scottish Government decisively put words into action and we believe this will be a foundational step in turning the tide on child poverty in Scotland. Once fully rolled out, over 400,000 children will benefit, and 30,000 children could be freed from poverty.’ (my emphasis)
The JRT offers this context: ‘Poverty in Scotland is rising and WE KNOW MUCH OF THIS IS DUE TO A REDUCTION IN THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING FROM THE UK SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.’
Source: https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/scottish-child-payment-will-turn-tide-child-poverty
(These statements from the JRT were written BEFORE the Scottish Government announced its intention to double the Scottish Child Payment!)
However, as I noted this here btl recently:
Chris Birt, deputy director for Scotland at the JRT was reported in an STV online news article (14 July) discussing the impact of the Tory Government’s decision to cut Universal Credit. Birt states: “If this cut to Universal Credit goes ahead in October, ALL THE PROMISED DOUBLING OF THE SCOTTISH CHILD PAYMENT WILL ACHIEVE IS TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF THIS DAMAGING CUT.”
So, based on these two sets of JRT statements we have this situation in Scotland:
(i) a problem of poverty which was caused largely by the social policies of a Westminster government that a majority in Scotland haven’t voted for;
(ii) a ’decisive and progressive’, lauded policy introduced to address this problem of poverty by a Scottish government we in Scotland did vote for; but now
(iii) the policy solution implemented of the Government we did vote for is being undermined directly by the action by the Westminster government we didn’t vote for!
Liked by 2 people
Talking-up Scotland 
This is where the English government stand on poverty. It’s utterly despicable and criminal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Tories are only interested in short term gains.
Investing in children doesn’t do that except of course for their own.
That appears to be what the majority of people in England want however.
It will be interesting to see whether their challenge to encorporating UN Children’s Rights into Scots law succeeds.
A “society” south of our border who appear to have lost all sense of civilized behaviour and demonstrate a complete lack of moral fiber.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Tories have two lines of justification on this:
1. Social security or ‘hand-outs’ as they term it encourages idleness and fecklessness:
2. You ought to have thought about how to pay for children before you had them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I noticed this.
Overheard in the Co-op at Barrhead today. Shopkeeper: “Sorry, can you please wear a mask?” Customer: “No I don’t. It’s freedom day.” Shopkeeper: “Yes, but only in England.” Customer: “I am English you idiot. I don’t have to follow your rules.
If I was the shopkeeper I would have asked the person to “Kindly” leave my shop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps we need large signs on all border crossing points saying
SCOTTISH LAWS NOW APPLY
THIS INCLUDES VISITORS
IF YOU DON’T WISH TO COMPLY, PLEASE TURN ROUND
LikeLike