John Swinney, the Scottish Government’s deputy first minister, has accused Westminster of failing Scots as thousands prepare to join the Scotland Demands Better march in Edinburgh. The demonstration, organised by the Poverty Alliance and announced at the STUC congress earlier this year, will begin at Holyrood and move to the Meadows for a rally.

Swinney offered best wishes to those taking part and argued that many people are living in poverty or struggling to make ends meet despite being in work. He said: “In Scotland, we have managed to make good progress – child poverty is falling here while rising in the rest of the UK, and stands at a 30-year low.” He added: “The fresh start of independence is the hope we need for a better future.” He also warned that Westminster decisions often hold back progress: “But too often we find ourselves held back by decisions made at Westminster which make matters worse.” He noted rising energy bills and food prices and criticised the Westminster system as failing ordinary people.

A UK Government spokesperson said it is determined to reduce poverty and highlighted measures including uprating benefits, increasing the national minimum wage, and changes to Universal Credit that support about 700,000 of the poorest families. They added that the government plans to publish an ambitious strategy to tackle child poverty later this year and that it is investing more than £1.8 billion to deliver economic growth and a decade of national renewal for communities across Scotland, while working with the Scottish Government within the devolution framework.