John Swinney must turn his “rhetoric” of ending child poverty into “reality” campaigners have urged as he became Scotland’s First Minister.

Swinney was elected by the Scottish Parliament one day after he was confirmed as SNP leader taking over from Humza Yousaf.

He said his principal policy would be to “eradicate child poverty” when asked what his mission would be.

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Anti-poverty groups said he must put a renewed focus on policies that can be effective in improving income for the most disadvantaged.

Glasgow Times:

Peter Kelly, Poverty Alliance director, said: "The election of a new First Minister is a moment of choice about the direction of our country.

“We know that people want political leaders who will turn rhetoric into reality and Scotland’s shared values of compassion and justice into concrete action.

“We welcome Mr Swinney’s statement that eradicating child poverty will be his principle policy interest. However, the latest statistics show that child poverty rates are stuck, with poverty levels increasing for other groups.

“The new First Minister and his government must place renewed focus on the actions needed to meet Scotland’s legal targets on child poverty. It is simply wrong that one in four of our children are being forced to live with the added burden of preventable poverty.”

Glasgow Times:

Mr Kelly said Swinney can repair and strengthen public services and use fairer taxes to build better budgets.

Swinney won the vote getting the backing of 64 MSPs at Holyrood, beating Douglas Ross of the Tories, on 31, Anas Sarwar, with 22 and Alex Cole-Hamilton of the LibDems on four.

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John Dickie, director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: “It is hugely encouraging that the incoming First Minister has already said he will make child poverty his number one priority. For the one in four children still locked in hardship that pledge needs to be acted on, and fast.

“The first step must be an immediate above-inflation increase to the Scottish child payment, and commitment to ensuring it reaches the £40per week needed by the end of the parliament.

“But the new government will need to go much further and invest in childcare, in removing the barriers to work that too many parents face and in tackling the housing crisis. Unlocking children from poverty is the moral thing to do, it is a legal duty and it is essential for our economic wellbeing.

“All the political parties backed the legally binding child poverty targets set out in the 2017 Child Poverty (Scotland) Act. Now is the time for all the political parties to work together to ensure those targets are met.”