Poverty among people in work has grown out of control due to an “uncaring” UK government’s, John Swinney claimed yesterday.
The deputy first minister said SNP MPs would hold Westminster to account as set out a five-point plan for “fair work”.
The plan includes a commitment to increase the minimum wage to £8.70 by 2020, a crackdown on zero hour contracts, an end to austerity, increasing the number of employers in Scotland paying the living wage of £7.85 from 150 to 500 in the next 12 months, and the devolution of the work programme.
While campaigning in Perth, he said: “Fair work will play a key role in making Scotland the fairer, more equal society everyone wants to see – which is why it is a principle which the SNP will be putting at the heart of our election campaign for the next four weeks.
“We can do things better in Scotland and we should have the opportunity to do so but in the meantime the SNP will ensure that progressive politics are put firmly on Westminster’s agenda and will ensure that working people are given the fair deal they deserve.
“Working people have been let down for far too long by Westminster parties which simply don’t represent their interests – and with both Labour and the Tories signed up to George Osborne’s plans for a further £30billion of cuts, it is clear that things are only going to get worse.
“Our plan to boost the minimum wage to £8.70 will ensure these jobs deliver a fair day’s pay and allow us to tackle the scourge of in-work poverty which has grown out of control thanks to the uncaring attitude of both Labour and Tory UK governments.”