JOHN Swinney has been accused of "betrayal" after breaking a promise to give free school meals to all primary pupils.
The First Minister dumped support for a universal scheme despite pledging to "eradicate child poverty in office.
The SNP leader also failed to mention the drug deaths crisis in his first Programme for Government speech since taking over from Humza Yousaf.
Last night there was fury at the decision not to go ahead with the roll out of free school meals to P6 and P7 kids.
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: "Betrayal is the only word to describe this reversal and is a continuation of the Scottish Government's approach in overpromising but failing -time and time again - to deliver." Swinney's Programme for Government featured 14 Bills and came 24 hours after he announced £500million of cuts to public spending.
He said he was making "tackling child poverty" his government's top priority and urged a divided parliament to seek "common ground" on the issue.
But Swinney's U-turn on free school meals for every primary school pupil - a manifesto promise in 2021 - led to huge criticism.
SNP Ministers had already delivered for all pupils in P1-5 but delivering on the last two years has proved a problem.
In his legislative statement last year, then-FM Humza Yousaf focused on kids who received the Scottish Child Payment in P6 and P7 while keeping the commitment to "universal" rollout.
Swinney's statement yesterday dropped the word "universal".
This story is from the September 05, 2024 edition of Daily Record.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 05, 2024 edition of Daily Record.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RAMPANT REDS ARE IN FOR KYL
A Brad night for Mbappe as Anfield rocks
No cure to Dee's woes in sight as Doc misses duo
TONY DOCHERTY has suffered a double dunt with Clark Robertson and Curtis Main joining Dundee's lengthy injury list.
GONE IN 30 SECONDS
McGrath: We have to learn to see out matches
Davina: I feel stronger & stronger every day
McCall update after brain op
SAVE EARTH BY TURNING BLACK FRIDAY GREEN
Campaign urges online shoppers to buy secondhand
COIN IT IN WITH £50K REWARD
Bonanza for return of peer's medieval currency
FOOTBALL LINK TO BRAIN DISEASES
HEADING footballs may cause more damage to the brain than previously thought, a new study has suggested.
CHURCH ELDER MET GIRL, 13, IN WOODS
A MARRIED church elder sneaked out to secretly meet a vulnerable young girl in the woods several times a week.
"GAME CHANGER' ON ASTHMA TREATMENT
Bigger shot of drug may save lives
BETH, 18, TAKES ONLINE DANGER WARNING TO MPS
Young people share social media experiences