Sturgeon Initiative Should Be Mirrored By Others

News from the Celtic League:

A plan to tackle child poverty announced by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been broadly welcomed (link):

http://www.thenational.scot/…/sturgeon-is-committed-to-endi…

Poverty Alliance, a group involved in the End Child Poverty campaign, also welcomed the announcement, saying:

“We need focused and coordinated action to reduce poverty in Scotland, and setting out in law what needs to be done will help bring about that action.

“If we are really to make progress towards eradicating child poverty then we need a comprehensive national anti-poverty strategy that involves all parts and layers of government.”

However child, pensioner and fuel poverty is not just a problem in Scotland it is endemic throughout these Islands and it is a shame that the institution we often criticise the British-Irish Council did not make the issue a prime target of the many wasted meetings it has held.

Sturgeon’s initiative should be replicated in the other Celtic countries not least in Mann where the final Tynwald before the summer recess belatedly got around to looking at fuel poverty.

Child poverty on the Isle of Man was indentified as a serious problem here in 2011 (links):

https://www.facebook.com/805941286121301/photos/a.806379472744149.1073741828.805941286121301/993889513993143/?type=3&theater

However we have also reported on this blight on young people’s lives in Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Scotland over the past two decades.

Frankly it’s a disgrace that the developed nations of these Islands have not addressed this sooner lets hope the Sturgeon imitative is successful and inspires others finally to act.

BERNARD MOFFATT
Public Relations Officer Mannin Branch

Issued by: The Mannin branch of the Celtic League.

TEL: 01624 877918 or 07624 491609

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THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries including our own Mannin branch. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

The link for the main web pages is below:

http://celticleague.net