THE rising number of Scots being forced to turn to foodbanks in order to be able to eat has provoked widespread anger.
It is an indictment of the failed austerity policies of the Westminster coalition, and an archetypal symptom of poverty in society. The notion that any family should be struggling to provide a decent meal for their family is rightly outrageous.
But, as we report today, there are many more distressing signs of grinding poverty in Scotland caused by Westminster. Parents having to boil kettles to bathe children because the cost of heating is too much; being unable to afford to pay for a child's school trip, or to have cash spare for any kind of social activity. Even burying the dead is becoming impossible for the poorest in society. The policies of the Tories and their LibDem supporters are turning the lives of thousands of decent citizens into a humiliating grind.
Campaigners say it not just those on benefits who are affected, with many stuck in low-paid jobs or on zero-hour contracts. Shocking figures show that more than 400,000 people in Scotland earn less than what is considered the minimum hourly rate to pay for everyday basics. We know it is a lost cause to hope Westminster will help our most vulnerable. And while the Scottish Government is stepping up to alleviate the worst excesses, it needs more powers to make Scotland a fair and equal society.
Most importantly, though, what can be done, lies in the hands of employers. They should be paying the living wage.
It is a shocking reality that while many Scots will be splurging their cash on presents and nights out in the run up to Christmas, others face a constant worry about finding just a few pounds to make sure their home is warm for the night.
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