Humza Yousaf will invite opposition Holyrood leaders to an anti-poverty summit next month.
The new First Minister said he wants an end to “cheap party point scoring” as his Government tries to hit targets for slashing poverty.
Yousaf said during the SNP leadership contest he would get key stakeholders round the table immediately if he succeeded Nicola Sturgeon.
Poverty levels rose when Sturgeon was leader and Yousaf has committed to reversing the trend.
He told the Record: “There is no doubt that more needs to be done to tackle poverty as a result of the UK Government’s cost of living crisis.
"Measures such as the game-changing Scottish Child Payment are going some way to meeting our national mission of substantially reducing child poverty, but we have an opportunity to build on that real progress towards a Scotland where no child has to suffer the injustice of poverty.
“I am pleased to announce that, in just over a fortnight, I will convene an anti-poverty summit to develop further policy proposals and listen to ideas and contributions from as wide as possible a stakeholder group, including key expert poverty and inequality stakeholders, local government, trade unions, equalities stakeholders, businesses, and energy companies.
“I will also invite opposition party leaders to contribute to the summit. Poverty is an issue which requires us to work together to deliver real solutions, and I hope that the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems will work constructively with the Scottish Government to that end. This issue is more important than cheap party point scoring. I hope they can see that and rise to the challenge.
“Real change can be achieved if the political will exists to be bold, dynamic and innovative. I hope that all participants in the summit will consider what further action is necessary in the short, medium and long term to deliver a more socially-just Scotland, and what we can all do to help achieve that change.”
Scottish Labour Social Justice spokesperson Paul O’Kane said: “Scottish Labour will always work constructively with other parties to tackle poverty and deliver meaningful change.
“However, the SNP’s dire track record shows they have continually failed to make this a priority.
“The First Minister must deliver more than empty rhetoric and bring real ideas to the table this time.”
Tory MSP Miles Briggs said: "We welcome the First Minister’s invitation, provided this is more than just a PR exercise and that he is genuinely prepared to listen to other views on tackling poverty.
“The SNP’s track record on dealing with poverty in Scotland is poor and it is crucial that every effort is made to right these wrongs.”
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