JOHN Swinney has been accused of trying to “exploit” child poverty for the SNP’s political gain after using a debunked soundbite in parliament this week.
During First Minister’s Questions, Mr Swinney claimed that Nats’ Scottish Child Payment benefit is “helping to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty”.
But he’s now apologised in writing to Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone – after previously being warned by stats watchdogs not to repeat the claim.
The UK Statistics Authority said the claim should not be made as the proportion of children living in both “relative” and “absolute” poverty “remains broadly stable” in Scotland since the SNP won power in 2007.
Scottish Labour’s social security spokesman Paul O’Kane hit out: “John Swinney has been caught out once again using dodgy stats to exploit the issue of child poverty for his own political gain.
“If John Swinney gave supporting young Scots half the effort he gives to political spin then perhaps his record in government wouldn’t be so dreadful. Full-on John is nothing less than a full-on failure.”
Sir Robert Chote, chair of the stats watchdog, last year warned SNP ministers against making the claim after it was used by both Humza Yousaf and John Swinney at Holyrood.
But despite the plea, Mr Swinney repeated it again last week in response to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
He told MSPs: “This government has put money in place to support the improvement in the lives of young people living in poverty by the Scottish Child Payment.
“Originally set at £5, now £26.70 to every eligible child, helping to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.”
But, in his letter to Ms Johnstone, he said he had asked for the official report to be changed to: “This Government has put the money in place to support the improvement in the lives of young people in poverty by the Scottish Child Payment. Originally set at £5, now £26.70 to every eligible child.
“Modelling published in February 2024 estimates that this government’s policies will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty in 2024-25.”
Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “John Swinney ought to be mortified that he’s been forced to correct his misleading claims on child poverty.
“But the SNP have form for repeating dodgy stats in parliament, most famously with their claims on wind power.
“Shameless spin comes before the truth – and it starts at the very top with ‘Honest John’.”
