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Humbug to a poor Christmas for Scots children

We say "Child poverty promises don’t have to be as dead as a doornail."

Friday 18 December 2009

Scrooge and three Christmas ghosts from the Past, Present and Future visit party leaders at the Scottish Parliament, to remind politicians of their failed promises on child poverty in Scotland and to tell them that it’s not too late to change their ways.

On the eve of the Christmas Parliamentary Recess, three Ghosts and Scrooge confront the Scottish government over another poor Christmas for 240,000 Scottish children.

Save the Children conjured up the ghosts to remind the Scottish government of its failed promises around child poverty and to let them know that it’s not too late to redeem themselves.

The Ghost of Christmas Past reminded the government of the promise to halve child poverty by next year, 2010 - and to end child poverty in Scotland by 2020.

The Ghost of the Christmas Present pointed out that the government’s current target is woefully off track and there are currently 240,000 children living in poverty in Scotland. At least 75,000 children would need to be lifted out of poverty to meet the 2010 target.

The Ghost of Christmas Future gave a picture of what Scotland could look like in 2020 — and what the likelihood will be if the government does not act — more than 260,000 children in Scotland will be living in poverty.

Douglas Hamilton, Save the Children’s Head of Scotland said; ""The next decade needs to be the one that will make the difference. Now is the time for the Scottish Government to make good on their word and in these difficult times, to end the Dickensian conditions that Scotland’s poorest children currently live in."