MORE than 150 charities, trade unions and campaign groups have rallied to support the Poverty Alliance’s call to put the fight against poverty “at the heart of Scottish government.”

Poverty Alliance acting director David Reilly has written to First Minister Humza Yousaf calling on him to live up to his earlier pledge to “eradicate poverty” when he presents his programme for government to parliament next month.

The programme — a Scottish parliamentary set-piece in which the First Minister sets out his government’s priorities for the year ahead — must include an increase in the Scottish Child Payment, relief for those in debt to public bodies such as councils and a minimum income guarantee, according to the alliance.