He added: “To end poverty we need to get our economy moving, our public services working and create more decent well paid jobs.”
In 2021, Mr Sarwar called on Humza Yousaf’s government to double the Scottish Child Payment, which was, at the time £20. He said it should then be doubled again the following year.
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“With that one measure, we can reduce child poverty in Scotland by a third, if it is truly our national mission. Let’s take the urgent action Scotland needs,” he said at the time.
Asked about that previous call on Monday, Mr Sarwar said he would need to “look at the reality of where we are in our economics.”
“The frustration I’m expressing today, which many people across the country will feel, is we have this pretence in Scotland that somehow welfare is the only route out of poverty,” he said.
“The harsh reality is we need a multi-spoke approach to end child poverty. Having higher and higher welfare payments – while taking resources out of our classrooms, taking resources out of mental health services, while taking resources out of housing – we risk undermining the very thing we are fighting for.”
The payment, which currently sits at £26.70 a week per eligible child, was introduced by Nicola Sturgeon in a bid to tackle Scotland’s grim child poverty rates.
Responding to the speech, SNP MSP Collette Stevenson said: “Anas Sarwar has decided to kick off 2025 echoing the Tories – if he wants to cut vital supports such as the Scottish Child Payment he should come out and say it.
“It is clear that Scottish Labour has no ambition for Social Security Scotland other than to turn it into a replica DWP – with all the cruel sanctions and policies that go along with it.
“The SNP Government has put forward a budget that provides hope to the people of Scotland, ensuring those who need support the most get it. It is up to opposition MSPs to examine their conscience and back it.”