MSP comments on West Dunbartonshire 'bottom of the pile' in good places for women to live study

MSP Gil Paterson responded to the news via the Clydebank Post.

He said: “In West Dunbartonshire, we have amazing, strong women who are a shining example to the rest of the country.

“It just so happens many are affected adversely by the endemic deprivation that scars communities in my constituency Clydebank, for example.

“Many women live beneath the breadline and are the sole parent holding together a family.

“This is the grim reality, and among all of this we have endless edicts from Westminster slashing social security funds to keep women and their families afloat.

“To bring these women out of poverty is a mammoth and highly complex task – but the SNP government takes empowering women seriously and it has been a hallmark of the party in recent years.

“We are making a difference where we can, and to name some measures so far, we have brought about the first gender balanced cabinet in the UK, we will be giving free sanitary products to many women and we are increasing the hours of free child care.

“What makes it that more complicated for me is I represent the worst and the best areas for women to live in, in Scotland. The neighbouring council area East Dunbartonshire has been named the best place in the whole of Britain for women to live. It is amazing and distressing that two areas can be so close together yet so far apart.”​

ENDS