Gordon Brown: SNP and Tories to blame for rising child poverty

The SNP and Tories should be "ashamed" after presiding over soaring child poverty levels, Gordon Brown has said

Gordon Brown hit the election campaign trail in Fife

The former Prime Minister has been campaigning on the doorsteps in Fife along with Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley ahead of Thursday's council vote. It is his first intervention on the campaign trail since Theresa May called the snap general election.

Mr Brown's former party is struggling in the polls, but he insisted that Kezia Dugdale is the only Scottish leader who can tackle poverty levels.

He said: “What has become abundantly clear is that Labour is the only party fighting for social justice in this election.

”The latest figures show child poverty has risen from 220,000 to 260,000 in one year under both the SNP and Tories.

“This is the biggest poverty increase since Mrs Thatcher and under an SNP Government that says they will stand up for Scotland and a Conservative Government that claims to be helping the hard-pressed.

“Both should be ashamed of the rising deprivation hurting children.

“Only Scottish Labour, with Kezia Dugdale’s own policies to raise child benefits, can prevent child poverty rising.’’