By stewartb
In the news article referenced below on the increasing rates of child poverty in NE England, we learn of the Labour Party’s considered position – essentially the ‘country’, the UK can’t afford to end the child poverty associated with the Tories’ two child benefit cap!
Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labours-promise-reverse-north-east-190000891.html – ‘‘Labour’s promise to reverse North East child poverty rise and cut life expectancy gap’
In the article we learn: ‘New analysis published today [Friday] by the TUC has revealed a 44 per cent increase in child poverty among working households in the region – with more than one in four children in working households here now growing up below the poverty line.’
And on Labour’s response? ‘Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, called the figures a “damning indictment on 14 years of Conservative government”. But Labour refuses to scrap the Tory two-child benefit cap!
This is despite evidence like this: ‘According to the End Child Poverty Coalition, one in eight of all children growing up across the North East are now living in families affected by the Government’s ‘two-child limit’ – affecting 65,450 babies, children and young people in total. The cap means that almost all families having a third or subsequent child are no longer entitled to receive support for those children through Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit.’
‘Mr Streeting said Labour was opposed to the limit and had “no doubt” about its impact on struggling families, but had to “make sure every promise we make is a promise we can keep and a promise the country can afford”.
Opposed but won’t abolish! No doubt about its effect but won’t abolish! The UK under a Labour government the same as the UK under the Tories, will keep a policy that condemns children to poverty. To what question is Labour the answer, the solution for Scotland – or indeed NE England?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Suffer the children. Eradicating poverty saves on NHS, Education, welfare and other services.
Westminster wasting £Billions on HS2, Hickley Point, Trident, redundant weaponry, illegal wars nuclear. Decommissioning nuclear £13Billion a year for ten years. Increasing all the time. Brexit losing £Billions. Westminster raising £731Billion. Spending £1090Billion. No money for easing poverty, NHS, Education or welfare. Losing £30Billion to tax evasion.
Scotland raises £87Billion. Spends £54Billion. Westminster decides how the rest is spent. Scotland spends too much on the military. UK military personnel 180,000. 10,000 based in Scotland.
Westminster spent £270Billion over two years funding COVID. £Billions wasted on unscrutinised contracts for worthless PPE.
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A party that has given rock solid promises to renew the Trident system and increase defence spending by 25% but can’t afford to feed the children it is defending has got its priorities very, very wrong.
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”Bombs not bairns ” should be the Labour Party slogan for this election .
Good to know – Starmer is prepared to ”push the button” but doesn’t give a f*ck for saving kids from poverty !
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This bullshit about “what the country can afford” when it comes to the populace has gone on for far too long already – It’s what politicians in government have chosen to AFFORD which causes this affront for an excuse to be flaunted – Vanity projects such as HS2 can be funded but not the third kid in a family with both parents trying to hold down 2 or 3 jobs to avoid going under…
The country REALLY can’t afford a taxation system which has so many anomalies which benefit only the richest in society – Richard Murphy did an excellent piece a few months back exposing such anomalies in the taxation system, which if fixed would release billions to fix ‘problems’ including the NHS and the 2 child cap.
What has Labour come to when such as Streeting gets away with spouting this claptrap…..
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I fully agree, but seem to unable to’like’ that comment. It is a disgrace, surely the first duty of a government is to look after the peole and that must oinclude the most vulnerable, It is not people’s fault if they are poor, get sick, or lose their work or homes and they should not be punished if that is their situation, or ignored because that is a ‘lifestyle choice’
The UK is allegedly a rich country so we must mmake it fairer for all,
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Streeting colludes with a system from which he has most to gain. A disgrace.
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