Former FM: In tribute to Donald, let us work across border to end child poverty

The Scottish and UK Governments should set aside their differences to eliminate child poverty in tribute to Scotland’s first first minister, according to Jack McConnell.

Lord McConnell issued the appeal when he delivered the Donald Dewar Memorial Lecture on Thursday at Glasgow University.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Mr Dewar, who died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 63 while still in office.

Labour peer Lord McConnell was appointed by Dewar to be Scotland’s first finance minister.

He went on to serve as first minister from 2001 until 2007, when former SNP leader Alex Salmond succeeded him.

Lord McConnell told The Sunday Post: “We’re facing the biggest economic challenge of our lifetimes and there is a real duty on both governments to work together, particularly on child poverty.

“It needs action on family incomes and benefits, but also on health, education and housing. That mixes the responsibilities of both governments.”

Lord McConnell also said emergency powers passed by the Scottish Parliament to deal with the coronavirus crisis appeared to have become permanent and he warned of a lack of accountability.

He said: “I don’t care who is in government, we need local government leaders, faith leaders and business leaders to challenge government. Pre-devolution that happened, perhaps because there was a democratic deficit when there wasn’t a Scottish Parliament.”

Lord McConnell said a coalition of civic leaders should be formed, who would hold a “democracy summit”.

He said: “Twenty years after the first minister who got power but gave away power left us far too soon, this might just be a very good moment to renew the original dynamism and transparency of Holyrood.

“In the spirit of Donald Dewar and his willingness to work in coalition, and to be accountable in the parliament he fought for, we should be considering a Democracy Summit for Scotland.

“Civic leaders, representatives of the different interests – rural and urban, young and old – coming together, perhaps with former MSPs, to recommend a shake-up at Holyrood and St Andrew’s House and reinvigorate the home rule we so wanted to be different.”