MICHAEL MARRA has kicked-off his Scottish Labour leadership with a call on First Minister John Swinney to set up a cross-party commission aimed at getting Scotland “back on track” and meet its child poverty targets.

In 2017, Holyrood agreed a legally binding target to cut child poverty to 10 per cent or less by 2030/31, but latest figures — covering 2022 to 2025 — showed the rate still stands at 21 per cent. 

Mr Marra acknowledged progress had been made and the figure stood below the 27 per cent rate measured across Britain as whole in 2024-25, he warned Scotland is “going to miss those targets by a mile” without action.

Writing to John Swinney, he said: “We have a little over three years left.

“So, I am today proposing that we establish a cross-party commission to agree a set of proposals that Holyrood can pass in law or enact in policy before 2030.

“In politics three years can feel like a short time. In the life of a child, it is enormous.  We cannot write off another generation while we argue about who is to blame.”

Responding, the First Minister said his government remained committed to “eradicating” child poverty.

“I am always open to additional ideas and I welcome Mr Marra’s commitment to work together on this, which we discussed by telephone today,” he said.

“I am keen to take these discussions forward including through the normal Budget process.”

He added: “There are also many aspects of UK government policy, such as the freeze to local housing allowance and the ongoing commitment to the benefit cap, that are deepening poverty and driving homelessness. 

“We need to work together to change these policies too.”