John Swinney has targeted eradicating child poverty in Scotland and ensuring that wealth is "shared more equally amongst us". The Scottish first minister adds, "if we prioritise it, if we make it our goal, then together we can make real progress towards achieving it". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00People often say that the eradication of child poverty is an impossibility.
00:05That is true if Scotland remains the same as it is today, but my ambition, and
00:11looking around this room I think it's also our ambition, is for a very
00:15different Scotland. I'd like you to imagine for a moment a Scotland where no
00:22child lives in poverty. What does this Scotland look like? It's a wealthier
00:27Scotland. We've made the most of our vast renewable energy wealth to bring new
00:32jobs and opportunities across our land. There are clear and direct benefits for
00:37the people of Scotland. A restored manufacturing base, a green
00:41reindustrialisation of our land, lower household fuel bills, lower energy costs
00:47for industry, fueling inward investment and business growth, more jobs, better
00:51jobs, higher wages, ongoing opportunities to learn and develop new skills, growing
00:57Scottish-owned companies, a spirit of entrepreneurialism, ambition and hope, no
01:03ceiling on what any child can achieve. But wealth on its own is not enough. It's
01:11a fairer Scotland too, with our nation's wealth shared more equally amongst us.
01:17The gap between the highest and the lowest incomes reduced, less wealth
01:22inequality, so all of our citizens have assets, pensions, savings and if they
01:27wish, a home that they own. The wealth of all increasing, but the wealth of those
01:33with least growing the fastest. Imagine it. If we want it, if we prioritise it, if
01:39we make it our goal, then together we can make real progress towards achieving it.
01:44I believe with every fibre of my being that the more decisions we take here in
01:50Scotland, the better for Scotland because no one cares more about this country
01:54than the people who live here. We've got what it takes to both imagine and to
02:00create a better Scotland. Of that I have no doubt because there is nothing wrong
02:05with Scotland that can't be fixed with what is right with Scotland.