A UK Poverty and Inequality Commission is needed to expose the “untold pain and hardship” caused by austerity, the SNP claims.

Nicola Sturgeon’s party says it will call for the establishment of a UK-wide body to end the “cruel and callous cuts regime that has forced thousands into poverty, debt and desperation”.

The election pledge was unveiled by Ian Blackford yesterday, who said a vote for his party in December is a vote to end “the two-child cap on tax credits and the associated rape clause, the punitive benefit sanctions regime, and the shambolic rollout of Universal Credit”.

All of these welfare changes were recently criticised by the UN Special Rapporteur on Poverty in a damning report on inequality in the UK.

While Holyrood has taken control of limited welfare powers, most remain reserved to Westminster.

READ MORE: Poverty Alliance manifesto urges Westminster to address 'scandal'

Yesterday Blackford blamed Tory austerity for leaving one in four Scots – approximately one million people – living in poverty.

Appearing on the BBC, he said: “This election is Scotland’s opportunity to escape Brexit, but also to escape a decade of Tory austerity inflicted on Scotland. After a decade of Westminster cuts, the SNP’s plan for a UK Poverty and Inequality Commission will help ensure these cruel and callous policies are never again inflicted on Scotland or across the UK.

“The Commission is the first step in exposing the untold pain and hardship that Tory policies inflict on the disadvantaged and low-income workers across the UK. It is a vehicle to finally escape Westminster austerity by providing expert advice on using the powers at Westminster to tackle poverty and to report on progress.”

Blackford went on: “While the SNP Scottish Government is using the powers we currently have to mitigate Tory austerity, we know that only with full powers over social security and employment can we introduce inclusive and progressive policies to end poverty and support our citizens to build a better future.”

Meanwhile, Labour clams its living wage plan would give workers a pay rise worth up to £6000. The party has vowed to give workers who earn the national minimum wage at least £9,000 more by 2024 than the Tories.

A £10-an-hour rate for all workers over 16 would benefit around 7.5 million workers, including more than 1.2m young people, according to Labour’s analysis of figures on earnings from the Office for National Statistics.