Margaret Mullane, Labour PPC for Dagenham and Rainham, has reacted to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures released on poverty levels in the nation. The DWP report revealed that the number of people living in absolute poverty has risen for the 2nd year in row. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, in further analysis of the data, indicated that half of the total are children.
Child Poverty Action Group has issued its analysis of the DWP poverty figures. It reckons the key statistic is the one showing the number of children living in relative poverty has risen by 100,000. It says this means 4.3 million children are living in relative poverty, up from 3.6 million 2010-11.
Margaret commented “These official figures from this Tory Government throw a shocking light on the failure of their 14 years of being in power. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says the rise in absolute poverty is the joint highest annual increase on this measure for 40 years. There are now 900,000 more people living in absolute poverty than there were in 2020-21, 400,000 of whom are children. The annual poverty figures published confirm that the government failed to protect the most vulnerable from the cost of living crisis”
Margaret went on to say “It simply doesn’t have to be this way. We desperately need a fresh start with a Labour Government with different priorities and different approach to strengthen our economy.
We can see some local examples on how to sustainably grow the economy taking shape. The transformation taking place on the former May & Baker / Sanofi site at Dagenham East and the move of the historic London markets to Dagenham Dock show what Labour can do at a local level. We need this to be transferred to a national level with a Labour Government determined to grow the economy and the sustainable productive capacity of our workforce.”
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