First, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report does not include the word ‘shame.’
Second, I agree entirely with their assessment of a crisis here, but, media reporting needs to be more accurate and, critically, provide context.
On page 4 we see:
Comparatively lower housing costs continue to be the principal reason for lower poverty rates in Scotland compared with England but there are still far too many families in Scotland who are in poverty solely because of their housing costs
https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-scotland-2021
Why are there lower housing costs in Scotland? It’s not an accident, it’s the consequence in large part of SNP Government actions.
THE JRF report understandably focuses on what must be done and only toward the end offers comparative data. I understand that cannot wait constitutional change but it is nevertheless an example of the evidence to be used in that drive for independence. It demonstrates what we have done and implies strongly what we will do:
No one suggests this will do but the SNP Government has, with one arm tied, against the brutal pressures of Tory austerity, done much to protect many from the worst.
If we are to do more, that requires, unavoidably, that we claim the powers to do so.
Thus, it is not insensitive nor is it irrelevant, to point out what Scotland has done to limit the surge in poverty, as a clear sign of what, with the courage to claim independence, we can and will do.
Talking-up Scotland 
Here in the gaslit downlands of Auld Scotia, things are BAD–BAD, BAD, BAD reports our Colonial media!
Not in comparison, or context, or perspective with anywhere else—but ‘gas-lighting’ doesn’t differentiate–it only serves to vilify, bully, and denigrate.
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The £10 a week child payment, due to be extended, will take the majority of children out of poverty. Kinship payments take children out of poverty. £50million a year increased alcohol/drug addiction proper rehab will take children out of poverty. Care and education allowance for foster care take take children out of poverty. Exempt from council tax.
School meals take children out of poverty. Increased extended nursery provision will take children out of poverty. Increased student loans will take children out of poverty. Increased apprenticeships take children out of poverty. Baby boxes help households. Building or renovating 6,000 affordable homes a year take children out of poverty. Bus passes take children out of poverty. Increased funding for schools in deprived areas take children out of poverty. Fuel heating allowances take children out of poverty. School uniforms and other college support.
Giving co habiting women (the majority) equal rights would take children out of poverty.
Austerity and Brexit cause poverty. Life expectancy going down in the south. The first time in 40 years.
In every major country relative poverty level is 16%. Absolute poverty 7%. Scotland is doing better than that. Pop 5.4million 210,000 children in poverty. It will be eradicated in a few years. Once the £10 child allowance is extended. Other measures housing, nursery provision, addiction provision continue to make a difference.
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The two hypocrites baking. Feeding their faces. Making people sick.
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Does anyone believe that the editorial staff at the Herod give a monkey’s about child poverty? They are more like King Herod in the Bible.
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Yes indeed, the Labour branch office at Holyrood (ten years!) certainly added to BritNats’ English legacy of decades and even centuries in keeping the people of Scotland poor. Did any of them give one iota of concern for poor families and their children made to ‘live’ in terrible housing, no they certainly did not, quite the opposite they facilitated Tory ‘austerity’ on the most vulnerable in Scotland and I for one hope that karma is real for that. Labour branch office even sent £1.5 Billion back to westmionster saying ‘nothing to spend it on in Scotland’, the SNP and others need to get that driven into peoples’ heads before the indy ref, remind people exactly what a BritNat government has done and would do again to the people of Scotland.
The situation now is akin to the SNP Government batting pound balls into an elastic fence hoping one or two somehow break through and don’t just bounce back, in order to mitigate the despicable, criminal BritNat English governments’ so called ‘austerity’ on the poorest in society. The fact it is going to get even worse does not bear thinking about!
ScotGov are not just working with one hand tied behind their backs to try to support the poorest and most vulnerable people in Scotland. They are being actively blocked from doing anything but the bare minimum, and even then the English British Nationalist Government in London keep a tight rein (with the royals’ consent) on powers ‘devolved’, only allowing (!) minor changes to the ‘benefits’ system by which the EngGov impose the most draconian system they can muster to keep people humiliated, disempowered and desperate. It’s nothing short of criminal. The JRF should also be making sure to point out the UN reports in recent times, about the British Nationalists’ cruel and draconian actions against the poorest in the UK.
Foodbanks in the UK in 2021, and it’s accepted as normal, even celebrated by the Tories and not even opposed by the red Tories, it’s utterly deplorable but where are the BBC et al on this? They too are a disgrace to democracy and to any sense of decency, disgusting.
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Lol I was going to say pounds coins then that didn’t make sense but balls sort of did so er…oops! 🙂
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