Latest news with #ChildPovertyActionGroup
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Labour take a leaf out of the Farage book
US ambassador praises a charity set up by Gordon Brown (Victoria Jones/PA) What should we say, as the sixth biggest economy in the world, about the fact that some children go to bed hungry in Britain? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Last week the Child Poverty Action Group reported almost a third of UK children, 31 per cent, live in poverty. There's a map showing the worst affected neighbourhoods: 17 per cent of children in Leith were in poverty in 2024, compared with 5 per cent in Corstorphine/ Murrayfield, and 22 per cent across the UK. The government defines poverty as incomes under 60 per cent of the average - £33,800 - so you're in poverty if your household gets less than £20,280 a year, or £390 a week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last week Gordon Brown surprisingly praised the government for further delaying a decision to lift the two-child benefit limit. It beggars belief that Brown could support continuing it, whatever the excuse. Bruce Whitehead This harsh policy, dreamed up by that kindly fellow, George Osborne to fund tax cuts for rich people, was continued by Labour, after also removing winter fuel payments to some pensioners south of the Border. The language of Labour politicians is curious. Big Broon writes about "changing" the two-child rule - not scrapping it. And Keir Starmer's Merseyside speech mentioned "driving down" child poverty - not ending it. (They think no-one notices when they use weird words.) So it could become a three-child rule; try explaining that to your youngest quadruplet... The truth is that Gordon Brown had ten years as chancellor, and three as prime minister, to eradicate poverty; instead Labour left office with 17 per cent of children still in poverty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He writes of polling he commissioned to confirm that, yes, dogs do bark, fish do swim and 75 per cent think poverty is morally wrong! Brown deserves credit for reducing it, for winter fuel payments and funding "Sure Start" to help families. But he inherited a buoyant economy and had ample time to banish poverty entirely, let alone child poverty. It's time Keir's party - Keir Hardie's that is - founded to help labour and workers, actually did so. Starmer's speech showed he'd finally got the message, but he's wasted a year trying to out-Tory the Tories; let's hope he doesn't now try to out-Farage the Faragistas. Bruce Whitehead, Journalist and former Labour council candidate
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Starmer and Farage in ‘race to the bottom' on child benefit cap, says Badenoch
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Tory leader accused Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage of engaging in a 'race to the bottom' on welfare. She said: 'Apparently, Starmer and Farage now believe in getting taxpayers – many of whom are struggling to raise their own children or choosing not to have them in the first place – to fund unlimited child support for others. 'That's not fair, it's not sustainable and it's not even compassionate. Welfare traps people, builds dependency and it drives up costs for everyone.' Her comments come after Mr Farage announced his party would abolish the cap as part of a series of spending promises including reinstating the winter fuel allowance and changing rules on tax-free allowances for married couples. At the same time, the Prime Minister said his Government was looking at 'all options' to drive down child poverty, but has not committed to getting rid of the cap. Mrs Badenoch said both leaders' comments on the cap showed they were 'content to make promises they can't keep', arguing the Conservatives were 'going to be the party of sound money and fiscal responsibility again'. The cap, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, prevents Universal Credit claimants from receiving additional benefits for a third or subsequent child born after April 5 2017. Campaigners say the cap exacerbates child poverty and has had a minimal impact on birth rate or family size. The Child Poverty Action Group has said abolishing the cap would lift 350,000 children out of poverty and mean another 700,000 were in less deep poverty.
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Starmer and Farage in ‘race to the bottom' on child benefit cap, says Badenoch
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Tory leader accused Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage of engaging in a 'race to the bottom' on welfare. She said: 'Apparently, Starmer and Farage now believe in getting taxpayers – many of whom are struggling to raise their own children or choosing not to have them in the first place – to fund unlimited child support for others. 'That's not fair, it's not sustainable and it's not even compassionate. Welfare traps people, builds dependency and it drives up costs for everyone.' Her comments come after Mr Farage announced his party would abolish the cap as part of a series of spending promises including reinstating the winter fuel allowance and changing rules on tax-free allowances for married couples. At the same time, the Prime Minister said his Government was looking at 'all options' to drive down child poverty, but has not committed to getting rid of the cap. Mrs Badenoch said both leaders' comments on the cap showed they were 'content to make promises they can't keep', arguing the Conservatives were 'going to be the party of sound money and fiscal responsibility again'. The cap, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, prevents Universal Credit claimants from receiving additional benefits for a third or subsequent child born after April 5 2017. Campaigners say the cap exacerbates child poverty and has had a minimal impact on birth rate or family size. The Child Poverty Action Group has said abolishing the cap would lift 350,000 children out of poverty and mean another 700,000 were in less deep poverty.
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Starmer and Farage in ‘race to the bottom' on child benefit cap, says Badenoch
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Tory leader accused Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage of engaging in a 'race to the bottom' on welfare. She said: 'Apparently, Starmer and Farage now believe in getting taxpayers – many of whom are struggling to raise their own children or choosing not to have them in the first place – to fund unlimited child support for others. 'That's not fair, it's not sustainable and it's not even compassionate. Welfare traps people, builds dependency and it drives up costs for everyone.' Her comments come after Mr Farage announced his party would abolish the cap as part of a series of spending promises including reinstating the winter fuel allowance and changing rules on tax-free allowances for married couples. At the same time, the Prime Minister said his Government was looking at 'all options' to drive down child poverty, but has not committed to getting rid of the cap. Mrs Badenoch said both leaders' comments on the cap showed they were 'content to make promises they can't keep', arguing the Conservatives were 'going to be the party of sound money and fiscal responsibility again'. The cap, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, prevents Universal Credit claimants from receiving additional benefits for a third or subsequent child born after April 5 2017. Campaigners say the cap exacerbates child poverty and has had a minimal impact on birth rate or family size. The Child Poverty Action Group has said abolishing the cap would lift 350,000 children out of poverty and mean another 700,000 were in less deep poverty.
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Starmer and Farage in ‘race to the bottom' on child benefit cap, says Badenoch
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Tory leader accused Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage of engaging in a 'race to the bottom' on welfare. She said: 'Apparently, Starmer and Farage now believe in getting taxpayers – many of whom are struggling to raise their own children or choosing not to have them in the first place – to fund unlimited child support for others. 'That's not fair, it's not sustainable and it's not even compassionate. Welfare traps people, builds dependency and it drives up costs for everyone.' Her comments come after Mr Farage announced his party would abolish the cap as part of a series of spending promises including reinstating the winter fuel allowance and changing rules on tax-free allowances for married couples. At the same time, the Prime Minister said his Government was looking at 'all options' to drive down child poverty, but has not committed to getting rid of the cap. Mrs Badenoch said both leaders' comments on the cap showed they were 'content to make promises they can't keep', arguing the Conservatives were 'going to be the party of sound money and fiscal responsibility again'. The cap, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, prevents Universal Credit claimants from receiving additional benefits for a third or subsequent child born after April 5 2017. Campaigners say the cap exacerbates child poverty and has had a minimal impact on birth rate or family size. The Child Poverty Action Group has said abolishing the cap would lift 350,000 children out of poverty and mean another 700,000 were in less deep poverty.
