STEWART PATERSON

The Tories have been accused of falsely claiming that child poverty has fallen since they took office.

The SNP picked up on a statement by Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson on radio when she said: “Child poverty has fallen since 2010, when we came into power.”

However the SNP have pointed to official statistics showing an increase of 30%.

It is also projected that child poverty will increase further by more than 1m across the UK as a result of Conservative Government policies.

David Linden, SNP candidate in Glasgow East, home to some of the highest areas of deprivation, said

He said: “Struggling families across the country will find it absolutely staggering that Ruth Davidson wants to boast about the Tory record on child poverty.

“The fact is that Tory cuts have driven up child poverty since 2010 and we know that their plans will push over a million more across the UK below the poverty line.”

Meanwhile it has been claimed the Tories are planning another five years of “austerity max continuing to cut social security and public sector budgets.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies also said that the cuts proposed to the Winter Fuel Allowance will have little impact on public finances.

Stewart Hosie SNP treasury spokesman said: “The Tories are planning five more years of austerity max cutting public services to the bone, failing to invest properly in our NHS, hurting household budgets and now attacking the incomes of pensioners.

“The choice in this election is between a Tory party obsessed with unnecessary ideologically driven austerity or the SNP’s sensible proposals to end unnecessary cuts and invest in our public services.

“Tory plans for a dementia tax, scrapping free school meals and cutting the winter fuel allowance do nothing for the public finances and simply spread their devastating cuts to children and pensioners.”