Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay has come under fire for proposing to scrap Scotland’s cherished Baby Box scheme, a move that could impact 46,000 newborns in 2025/26.
The Baby Box, introduced in 2017, provides essential items for new families, such as clothes, bedding, and bath supplies, and has been delivered to nearly 300,000 babies.
It is credited with encouraging expectant mothers to engage with prenatal services, offering a lifeline to countless families.
Findlay’s recent remarks about ending Scotland’s so-called “freebie culture” included targeting the Baby Box.
His justification?
Aligning Scottish income tax rates with the rest of the UK, despite the majority of Scots currently paying less tax than their counterparts south of the border.
The SNP has labelled the proposal as prioritising tax cuts for the wealthiest over providing newborns with vital support.
This contrasts starkly with the SNP Government’s commitment in the Scottish Budget 2025/26 to tackling child poverty, including ending the two-child benefit cap that both Labour and the Tories refuse to scrap.
SNP MSP Evelyn Tweed described the plan as unseasonably miserly, stating:
“Christmas is a time for family, for gift-giving, and for looking to the future.
“For the Tories to seek to remove the Baby Box from the 46,000 babies expected to be born in Scotland next year is not in the spirit of the season – it is in the spirit of the Grinch.”
She emphasised the importance of the scheme, noting:
“The birth of a child is an expensive and precarious time for anyone, and the Baby Box goes some way in addressing those worries – ensuring that all babies, no matter their background, have the best start in life.”
The SNP argues that the Tory proposal is an unacceptable trade-off, sacrificing opportunities for Scotland’s youngest citizens to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest.
Tweed added:
“The fact that the Baby Box is encouraging women to engage with prenatal services is an added bonus.
“The bottom line is that to give the wealthiest in Scotland a tax cut, the Tories are prepared to deny babies a better start in life by removing the Baby Box, and that is unacceptable.”
The Baby Box scheme has become a symbol of Scotland’s commitment to supporting families and tackling inequalities from the earliest stages of life.
Its potential removal has sparked widespread concern, raising questions about priorities and values in political decision-making.
“The SNP will always stand up for Scotland’s young families and for our newborn Scots – and that means fighting to protect the Baby Box scheme from Tory cuts,” Tweed concluded.
With the debate intensifying, many are questioning the cost of such a policy shift.
Would it pave the way for greater income inequality while undermining a celebrated initiative that has given countless families a strong start?
As the festive season highlights the importance of generosity and care, the prospect of scrapping the Baby Box seems to strike a discordant note, leaving many to wonder whether this is truly in the spirit of a brighter future for all.
