The manifesto, written by the Poverty Alliance in conjunction with its more than 200 members, urges political parties to promise more radical action on poverty.

Nearly one million Scots are now living in poverty, after housing costs are considered. One in five children are in poverty, and half of these live in a household where at least one adult is employed. The Poverty Alliance say this means work is no longer a guaranteed route out of poverty, and is urging top-ups to working benefits to combat Westminster cuts.

Director of the alliance Peter Kelly said: "We’ve had 17 years of the Scottish Parliament, and poverty remains deeply ingrained. Today we are presenting 17 demands that we believe will lay basis for a fairer Scotland.   "It was clear following the independence referendum that there was a widespread desire for more powers to the Scottish Parliament.  While the package being devolved may not be as exhaustive as many would have liked, they are still significant and it is vital that new powers are used."

The manifesto states that existing government appraoches, such as the Child Poverty Strategy, have "not led to the change that should have been expected", and the group wants to see a new anti-poverty strategy implemented by means of a Scottish Poverty Reduction Bill.

It also states: "Scotland needs to build a social security system which is a genuine safety net for those that need it, but is also a springboard out of poverty."   The manifesto coincided with the publication of the Scottish Anti Poverty Review, which the five leaders of Scotland's main political parties contributed to.   Read more here