THE four richest families in Scotland have more wealth than the poorest 20 per cent of the population, according to a new report from Oxfam.
In a new report sent to all of Scotland’s politicians, the anti-poverty charity have said more needs to be done to combat social inequality.
The four richest in Scotland, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2015 are the whisky producing Grant-Gordon family (£2.15 billion), Highland Spring owner Mahdi al-Tajir (£1.67bn), oil and gas tycoon Sir Ian Wood (£1.385bn) and Egyptian businessman Mohamed al-Fayed (£1.3bn).
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “In our rich country, we should all be impatient for faster progress. We shouldn’t live with poverty, in Scotland or anywhere else, and the Scottish Parliament has a duty to do all it can to end it.”
He continued: “The Scottish Parliament has a number of powers which it could use now to reduce inequality and poverty. The upcoming Scottish election also creates a significant opportunity for every political party to transparently commit themselves to creating a more equal Scotland within a more equal world.
“We recognise not all political power rests in Scotland but where the Scottish Parliament has power it should act boldly, and where it does not, it should be a strong and progressive advocate for change.”
Oxfam have set out a series of goals for the Scotland’s political parties ahead of next May’s election including setting up a target for reducing economic inequality and creating a new inequality commission. Whoever forms the next government, the charity says, should look to end hunger in Scotland and increase international aid.
SNP MSP Joan McAlpine welcomed the report: “It is a damning indictment on the Tory Government’s failed record that poverty and inequality is rising across the UK. While the Scottish Government continues to do what it can to pull people out of poverty, heartless Tory ministers keep pushing people further past the poverty line.
“Shamefully, social security cuts have contributed to over 117,000 people in Scotland using foodbanks last year. Further cuts to tax credits alone are expected to cut around £700 million from low income families in Scotland – further pushing up inequality.”
Scottish Labour’s Equality spokesman Neil Findlay said the report should “shame” the Scottish Government.
“This report should act as a sobering wake-up call to the SNP Government in Edinburgh and the Tory Government in Westminster. The fact that the four richest families in Scotland have more wealth than the poorest 20 per cent is a source of shame. The focus of everybody in Scottish politics must be on closing the gap between the richest and the rest.”
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