Sat, 25 Oct 2025

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 Thousands march in Edinburgh calling for poverty action

The Scotland Demands Better demonstration was organised by trade unions and charities.
Thousands of protesters marched through Edinburgh's city center, calling on the government to take more action against poverty in Scotland. Organized by trade unions and charities, the demonstration aimed to push for increased funding for childcare and scrapping of the two-child benefit cap ahead of the UK Budget and Scottish Parliament elections. The march was led by The Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), with supporters from various community organizations, faith groups, and trade union members. They marched from the Scottish Parliament to The Meadows, where a rally was held. According to research from The Poverty Alliance, one in four children in Scotland is living in poverty. Protesters called for greater investment in essential services such as housing, transport, healthcare, and education. Peter Kelly, chief executive of The Poverty Alliance, stated that many people are struggling to afford basic necessities due to low wages and high living costs. STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer emphasized the need for real action against poverty, rather than empty election promises. The march comes amid warnings from experts that Scotland's child poverty targets are likely to be missed. The Scottish government has set targets to reduce child poverty to 18% by 2024/25 and 10% by 2030/31, but current figures show a rate of 23%.
  >>