Highland MSP Rhoda Grant slams rural poverty figures as 'shameful'

The rising rate of rural poverty in Scotland has been described as "shameful" by Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant.

She was speaking after her party, Scottish Labour, claimed rural communities had been neglected by the Scottish Government.

Labour released figures showing that the number of households in poverty in rural Scotland had soared by around 50 per cent since the SNP came to government in 2007.

This had resulted in an extra 150,000 Scottish households being pushed into relative poverty, with an additional 50,000 households experiencing severe poverty.

Labour accused the SNP of presiding over “years of mismanagement and neglect” in rural policy, including problems with ferries, delays to A9 dualling and cuts to councils and enterprise agencies.

Mrs Grant, Scottish Labour's rural affairs spokesperson, said: “These shameful figures show how badly rural Scotland has been abandoned by the SNP.

“Years of mismanagement and neglect have pushed thousands of people into poverty and left rural communities on the brink.

“Local services have been cut to the bone and lifeline transport links allowed to fall into complete disarray, and the worst off are paying the harshest price.

“Every single part of Scotland is being badly failed by the SNP. They must end this betrayal and set out a real plan to tackle poverty and revitalise rural communities.”

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