ALEX Salmond has unveiled the Alba Party's five-point plan to end child poverty.
The former First Minister announced the poorest families would be given a £500 annual payment under the proposals, as well as highlighting previous pledges to increase the education maintenance allowance and the Scottish Child Payment, extend free school meals and make sports facilities free for young people.
The £500 payment, the party says, will be made to every family receiving the council tax reduction for low earners, estimated at 500,000 homes.
Announcing the move, Salmond said poverty is a “political scandal”, and he called on Holyrood to take “bold and radical action”.
READ MORE: Alex Salmond's Alba Party call for Child Payment increase
He added: “Covid has shown us, in the starkest way possible, the division in our society between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
“Covid did not create these divisions but it has exacerbated them. As the country recovers from the pandemic it is time for Scotland to think big about the kind of country we want to be.
“It is time to rebalance our nation’s priorities in favour of people who have the least and for those communities who have been left behind for far too long.
“The levels of poverty in Scotland are a political scandal and Parliament must now take bold and radical action to ensure that such inequality is no longer accepted by politicians in the Scottish Parliament.
READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Tories back Scottish Child Payment - don't fall for it
“These five specific targeted measures represent a step-change in addressing poverty and each one will make a real and meaningful difference to the lives of children and families across the country.”
Alba has pledged to quadruple the Scottish Child Payment from £10 to £40 per week, double education maintenance allowance from £30 to £60 per week and remove attendance requirements, extend free school meals to all pupils in secondary and primary schools, and allow universal access to sports facilities for those under 18.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here