Gordon Brown warns of the 'worst figures for child poverty in living memory' with 4.3 million plunged into poverty
15 May 2024, 19:28 | Updated: 15 May 2024, 19:43
Gordon Brown has told the UK to prepare for "the worst figures for child poverty in our living memory," as he warned that 4.3 million children are no longer having their basic needs met.
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Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr, the former Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer highlighted the need for an increase in basic pay, noting simple policy measures can often "save more money than [they] cost".
"I’m seeing families that are having to choose between eating, heating and keeping clean," he admitted.
"I meet mothers who have to queue up at food banks because even after a whole week’s work, they can’t earn enough to make ends meet."
Highlighting that child poverty was "because of low pay and not unemployment", the former PM warned that the UK is currently facing a level of poverty many "thought we’d banished that for good".
Gordon Brown says investment in reducing child poverty 'has to be made'
"There is a degree of poverty that I really thought I wouldn’t see again in my lifetime - and I grew up in a mining and textile town, which had a large amount of poverty," said Mr Brown.
"It is returning, and I think we’re about to see the worst figures for child poverty in our living memory - and that is something that is both saddening but also challenging. We've got to do something about it."
The former Chancellor spoke of the need for investment where working families are concerned, highlighting the fact a third of children now live in poverty, adding: "That's 4.3 million children."
Highlighting his job was not to "be a backseat driver", the former Chancellor said he "admired' what Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves were trying to achieve.
Noting measures that could sure up child poverty under the next government, Mr Brown pointed out that raising the hourly pay by as little as 50p "could take 500,000 people out of poverty".
He explained that unlike the UK, many European banks do not pay interest on some reserves held by commercial banks, he suggested that following suit could make as much as £3 billion available.
He added that a Social Impact Fund "could raise a billion", adding that more often than not simple measures "save more money than [they] cost".
Emphasising the need to keep the Household Support Fund - which is due to end in September, the former Labour leader added that all of these measures "don't actually effect the fiscal rules".
"Release money to do things like reforms [to] the Universal Credit system," he added.
"We need a stratergy to help the low paid get better paid and the unemployed back to work."
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer mocked Rishi Sunak's government's focus on banning civil servants from wearing rainbow lanyards.
The Labour leader added that letting 'dangerous' criminals out of prison early was not the answer.
