The SNP has said “the Labour Party has failed its first big test in government” by refusing to scrap the two child cap in its programme for government this week.
Stephen Flynn MP warned the Labour government is “choosing to push thousands of Scottish children into poverty” and said it “must take ownership of the misery it will cause as a result”.
The SNP Westminster Leader confirmed his party will table an amendment to end the two child cap – and challenged Labour MPs in Scotland to vote for it or take responsibility for the child poverty they will be causing by failing to scrap the cap.
It follows the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, confirming on BBC Breakfast today that the UK Government would not scrap the two-child cap in the King’s Speech.
Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn MP said:
“The Labour Party has failed its first big test in government.
“Instead of delivering change, it is choosing to push thousands of Scottish children into poverty.
“It is appalling and indefensible.
“Scrapping the two child benefit cap is the bare minimum required to tackle child poverty.
“If Keir Starmer won’t even take this baby step forward, it suggests his government is incapable of delivering the substantial action needed to eradicate child poverty.
“People in Scotland voted for fundamental change at Westminster, and instead they are getting the same old excuses and the same damaging cuts.
“In Scotland, the SNP government has led the UK in tackling poverty, introducing progressive measures including the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Baby Box, and spending millions of pounds mitigating Westminster cuts like the Bedroom Tax.
“If the Labour government was serious about eradicating child poverty it would scrap the cap immediately – and match the SNP government’s Scottish Child Payment UK-wide by raising the child element of Universal Credit by £26.70 per child, per week across the UK.
“The fact that it won’t means this is now the Labour Party’s two child cap – and it must take ownership of the misery it will cause as a result.
“The SNP will table an amendment and I urge Labour MPs in Scotland to back it – or they will be equally responsible for causing child poverty.”
