BIN TWO KID CAP

Flynn says Government chose to make kids poorer | Starmer urged to back move to abolish child limit

- ANDREW QUINN

LABOUR has been slated for failing to pledge to scrap the two-child benefit cap in the King's Speech.

The SNP said it was "shameful" that the new UK Government "has made the political choice to push thousands of Scottish children into poverty".

A Scottish Labour frontbencher called on Keir Starmer to accept an amendment on abolishing the limit, while another said it should be debated.

The UK Government announced a new ministerial task force to work on a child poverty strategy but there was no mention of the cap in the speech.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said removing the limit was "the bare minimum required".

He said: "Keir Starmer has failed his first test in government. This timid legislative programme is a missed opportunity that failed to deliver the change that people in Scotland were promised.

"In particular, it is shameful that the Labour government has made the political choice to push thousands of Scottish children into poverty by refusing to scrap the two-child cap.

"Unlike Labour, the SNP has made tackling child poverty a priority and we will lay an amendment to scrap the cap.

Labour MPs in Scotland must vote for it - or take responsibility for the misery they will heap on families as a result of Labour's two-child cap.

"Scrapping the cap is the bare minimum required. Substantial action is needed eradicate child to poverty, which is why SNP MPs are also pressing the Labour Government to match the Scottish Child Payment by raising the child element of Universal Credit by £26.70 per child per week.