One of Labour’s most oft-repeated promises when it came to power was that it would halve child poverty by next year. Recent figures show that in fact under New Labour poverty has increased over the last two years and that this trend was happening even before the recent recession kicked in. The number of people now officially defined as living in poverty climbed to 11 million by March 2008 which represents a rise of 300,000 since 2006. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says that inequality is at its highest level since 1961 and is likely to get worse. Despite the recession, at the top end of the spectrum, the rich are able to get away with “rewarding” themselves ever more generously and bleating loudly every time they are asked to contribute slightly more through their income and other taxes.
Two million pensioners were in poverty before the recession even started. Now as Age Concern says “pensioners on low incomes are still struggling with high food and fuel prices, while watching their income from savings evaporate.” Labour virtually admits that it has entirely given up the struggle against poverty in the current climate because they think saving jobs needs to be the priority. This new set of priorities may or may not be sensible but what is so disgraceful is the missed opportunity over the years of boom – how little they actually achieved against their poverty targets before the recession arrived. It does make one wonder just what (and who) the New Labour Party is for?
Posted by lasaceo 
