The Scottish National Party’s failure to secure family finances has seen 2,602 food parcels given to children in East Lothian during the pandemic.

Even before Covid hit, child poverty was rising under the SNP. Across Scotland the number of food bank parcels provided to children has doubled since 2014.

Despite promises to tackle poverty across Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon’s Government voted against a £5 top-up to child benefit in 2018 and has delayed action on a Good Food Bill despite calls from campaigners for urgent action to improve food security for families struggling to make ends meet.

To enable every community across Scotland to recover from this pandemic, Labour is pledging to support families by doubling the Scottish Child Payment, with an additional £5 increase for families with a disabled child or parent.

To support parents to return to work, strengthen family finances and boost the economy post-pandemic, Labour has also vowed to increase the free childcare entitlement to 50 hours a week, starting with increases for the most vulnerable one and two year-olds.

Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour Leader, said

“This election is about you, your family and your local community.

“Child poverty is a national scandal. Can you imagine how much progress we could make in the eradication of poverty if politicians spent as much time on this as we do on arguments of the constitution.

“Scotland deserves better. Scottish Labour’s top priority will be to deliver a national recovery that builds a stronger and fairer Scotland.”

Local Labour candidate Martin Whitfield said:

“Children across East Lothian deserve better than a distracted Government which is focused on constitutional arguments not securing their futures. 

“Scottish Labour will support families in our community by doubling the Scottish Child Payment and providing the free childcare that parents need to return to work boosting our economic recovery.”