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The Scottish Parliament recently debated the development of a Scottish healthy weight strategy, and, as has become usual in these debates, we saw warm words across the chamber from all parties saying how positive it would be to tackle these health concerns in Scotland.
But it is time that we called out Ruth Davidson and her Tory party, because putting their warm words to the side, it is their party which is inflicting the damage on the poorest people in society through their dogmatic adherence to a crushing austerity agenda.
As we all know, there are growing levels of poverty in Scotland. Much of that is not happening by accident but as a direct result of UK Government policy. Again, we need not just warm words from the members of the Tory party in the chamber but action to stop the attacks on the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities.
The Scottish Tories speak up in parliament for people to eat better but fail to acknowledge the link between low incomes and poor diet while continuing to support failed Tory austerity driving more and more people towards poverty and despair.
Cancer Research UK says that:
“Food Standards Scotland identified that nearly 40 per cent of all calories, 40 per cent of total sugar and 42 per cent of fats and saturated fats were purchased on price promotions in 2014-15. Consumer spending on price promotions in the UK is the highest in Europe and double that of Germany, France and Spain.”
The British Medical Association (Scotland) BMA have said:
“Individuals on low incomes as well as other vulnerable groups such as older people and disabled people, can experience food poverty and face significant challenges to obtain and eat a healthy diet”.
It is obvious to anyone that there is a link between poverty and the ability to eat a balanced healthy diet. Yet the Tories have overseen huge rises in poverty across the country.
The Institute of Fiscal Studies recently predicted that child poverty would rise from 23% to 29% by 2021.
Single people without children have seen poverty rates increase, from 19% in 1994/97 to 27% in 2013/16
The attainment gap between children in the least and most deprived area is “stark” at five or six, and increases through school.
All this coupled with the fact that more than one in four (260,000) of Scotland’s children are officially recognised as living in poverty. Up 40,000 from last year.
Warm words are of no good when your actions cause actual harm.
