Thousands gathered in central Edinburgh on Saturday to demand urgent action to combat child poverty, a pressing issue highlighted by the Poverty Alliance, which reported that one in four children in Scotland lives in poverty. The demonstrators, carrying purple flags emblazoned with “Unison” and banners proclaiming messages such as “Scotland Demands Better – The Mandate From All of Us,” called for significant policy changes to alleviate these conditions.
The reason for the march was Scottish government’s recent admission that it has missed its most recent interim target. This target, as prescribed by the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017, was to reduce child poverty to under 18% by 2022. Currently, the rate stands at 23%. The act additionally establishes goals to reduce child poverty to 10% by fiscal year 2030/31. Scotland’s child poverty rate is the lowest of any UK nation or region. For others, the numbers continue to be shocking and intolerable.
Here’s what participants said they were most worried about. In particular, they advocated for more universal free childcare provision and for the abolition of the two-child benefit cap. Susan Fitzgerald, Unite Secretary, emphasized the dire situation in Scotland, stating that the region is “losing highly skilled jobs,” and that “decent affordable housing remains out of reach.” Public services, she stressed, are “stretched to breaking point” after a decade of austerity. This reality only adds to the burden placed on families that are already financially struggling.
Peter Kelly, another speaker at the event, was quick to underscore the everyday reality behind those statistics. Too many of us experience food insecurity and do not have a place to call home. Families are skipping meals just to ensure that their kids can eat, and dreading the approaching winter for the heating bills they know will come due.
The mood of those participating conveyed a developing impatience with ongoing undelivered commitments. Roz Foyer, another speaker, expressed frustration with political inaction, stating, “People are exhausted with the false promises of change that come every time an election rolls around only to be badly let down time and time again.”
Even John Swinney, Scotland’s influential finance minister, admitted this would be a “serious” situation. As President, I would say to those marching today that they are absolutely right. There are too many Americans living in poverty—more than half of them are working every day. He continued, “In a country as affluent as Scotland, that is just not good enough for me.”
As Scotland prepares to unveil a new strategy aimed at addressing child poverty later this year, many marchers called for immediate and effective action. Participants stressed the importance of funding the social determinants of health, investing in vital services like housing, public transport, healthcare, and education.
