Labour must tackle poverty or risk ceding ground to Reform UK, according to Lord John Bird. The Big Issue founder issued this stark warning as he submitted a child poverty amendment to the schools bill.
Lord Bird, an independent member of the House of Lords, said Reform UK’s rise signals growing public disillusionment. He argued that voters no longer trust mainstream parties to address root causes of poverty. Instead, many now look to alternatives like Nigel Farage’s party.
The crossbench peer proposed that the government adopt legally binding targets to reduce child poverty. His amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill demands accountability from future governments. He believes this is the only way to ensure consistent progress on poverty.
Bird, who grew up in a Notting Hill slum, said he fears Britain is returning to the hardship he experienced as a child. He warned that working people are now falling into poverty faster than at any time this century.
“This government and those before it keep failing the poor,” Bird stated. “They shuffle forward without meaningful long-term vision.”
Labour must tackle poverty not just for moral reasons, he stressed, but also to retain political credibility. The latest figures show 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK as of April 2024. That number increased by 100,000 in just one year.
Labour has promised to introduce a child poverty strategy. However, critics argue the party must go further and eliminate harmful policies like the two-child benefit cap. Without bold action, child poverty rates will likely climb even higher.
Anna Feuchtwang of the National Children’s Bureau supports Bird’s proposal. She said legal targets are needed to transform promises into tangible results. According to her, reducing child poverty should not remain a matter of political gamesmanship.
A recent YouGov poll found 72% of Britons think Labour should do more to fight poverty. That number rose 18% since last autumn, revealing growing public concern.
The schools bill includes broader reforms, such as new education safeguards and breakfast clubs in every primary school. It also aims to control school uniform costs and improve rules for academies.
Labour must tackle poverty now if it wants to remain relevant in a shifting political landscape.
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