Greens condemn Tories ‘cruel and immoral’ two-child cap on child payments
The Scottish Greens have condemned Russell Findlay’s pledge to bring back the cruel and immoral two child cap policy, which would plunge even more children into totally avoidable poverty.
The party’s social security spokesperson, Maggie Chapman MSP, said:
“Every child should be valued and supported, regardless of how many siblings they have. The idea that the third or fourth born in a family needs less than their older siblings is just absurd.
“The two child benefit cap is and will always be cruel and immoral. By rehashing inhuman policies from the past, the Tories are demonstrating that they really don’t care about people who aren’t already wealthy. They are so out of touch - we know that many parents are really struggling to make ends meet.
“Tories often criticise ‘red-tape’. But this proposal, to stop supporting more than two children per family, is the cruellest ‘red-tape’ that will burden some of the most marginalised people in Scotland.
“The two child benefit cap also resulted in the ‘rape clause’, requiring people to prove their third or subsequent child was a product of rape in order to receive support. This retraumatised victims and survivors all over again. Without further clarity, we can only assume this clause would be reimplemented into law, if the Tories had it their way.
Maggie Chapman added:
“While the Tories continue to indulge in poverty-shaming and scapegoating as they squabble with Reform, Scottish Greens are forward-looking, building a fairer, greener Scotland.
“Through the Scottish Child Payment and free bus travel for young people, Scottish Greens have taken real, meaningful steps to tackle poverty. Instead of painful austerity measures we know do not work, we must ensure that the super-rich are taxed appropriately.
“There is more than enough money to support everyone. We need to stop the fabulously wealthy hoarding it all.”