To ask Scameron and Osborne to hang their heads in shame?

[MiniTheMinx]

Within two years, almost 7.1m of the nation's 13m youngsters will be in homes with incomes judged to be less than the minimum necessary for a decent standard of living, according to a new report.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/majority-of-british-children-will-soon-be-growing-up-in-families-struggling-below-the-breadline-government-warned-8531584.html

Some key facts about child poverty

Nearly 4 million children are living in poverty in the UK (after housing costs)

The proportion of children living in poverty grew from 1 in 10 in 1979 to 1 in 3 in 1998. Today, 30 per cent of children in Britain are living in poverty.

The UK has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the industrialised world

The majority (59 per cent) of poor children live in a household where at least one adult works.

40 per cent of poor children live in a household headed by a lone parent. The majority of poor children (57 per cent) live in a household headed by a couple.

Note that child poverty boomed after that witch Thatcher took office 1979 !

This is what you get when politics is no longer democratic, when politicians, media and education dumbs people down so that even the working classes trumpet how bloody wonderful neo-liberalism is. How the free market should dictate everything from health and welfare to the price of crisps, your wages and even how valued you are are a human being.

I think The Tories should all hang their heads in shame, IABU ?

[ChairmanWow]

You know you're not. I agree with every word, particularly that poor and working class people are buying into the neo-liberalism myth because of what proprietor-owned media outlets are telling them.

The stats are shocking and the growth of inequality in this country since the late '70s is inexcusable.

[MiniTheMinx]

Thank you, I really think it is time people started to wake up to what neo-liberal economic policy is doing, it is decimating society and impoverishing our children and their futures.

[zwischenzug]

"Below the breadline", lol what a farce. I can't believe anybody takes seriously an article that claims 'child poverty' exists in any meaningful way in this country. The only children who go hungry and such are those who are neglected by their parents, the welfare system is very generous to parents.

The main problem children in this country face is paying off all the debts the spendthrift baby boomer generation have piled up on the government credit card (but who are conveniently retiring and letting others pay off).

[wonderingsoul]

well, no we dont have third world poverty and dying children on the streets.

we do have alot of people wondering what bill they should pay first, if they can afford to put the heating on. trying to work out when they can buy that mop/bra / shoes.

[MiniTheMinx]

What evidence do you have that welfare is "very generous" and even if it is why are wages not generous "The majority (59 per cent) of poor children live in a household where at least one adult works"

In terms of baby boomers, it would be correct to say that this generation lived through an age of unprecedented growth, prosperity and social mobility because of embedded liberalism (democratic socialism in the UK) with the creation of the NHS, house building, social housing, nationalised industries and where the UK invested in the welfare of its people. A time when labour was fairly organised and people could support a family on one wage.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

the welfare system is very generous to parents

Wages, however are not.

As the OP says, the majority of children in poverty are from households where a parent works.

[MiniTheMinx]

That was directed to zwischenzug

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Xposts.

Comparing UK poverty to that of third world countries is ridiculous aswell. Its offensive to people who are going without.

[MiniTheMinx]

Zero hrs contracts, weakening of labour, unemployment exherting a downward pressure upon wages.....

and the Tory medicine for this......."flexible labour"

Ask yourself "what is flexible labour?"

[lougle]

YABU -they'd have to feel shame first and they are unfeeling.

[MiniTheMinx]

so true lougle does that make them sociopathic ?

[Xales]

So in the 13 years that Labour were in power they didn't really manage to dent the percentage in poverty.

I think you are being unreasonable to say the Tories should hang their heads in shame. All the parties that have been in power and all the MPs that have voted to pass legislation that rewards rich greedy bastards/corporations at the expense of the rest of the country should do so.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Personally I think Politics should be taught in schools.

I went to a Grammar school and politics was a GCSE option. If you didnt choose the GCSE you just didnt learn about politics.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Sorry, posted too soon.

If it was taught more widely then perhaps we would get a wider range of politicians. More "normal" people rather than wealthy idiots who only look after their own interests.

[MiniTheMinx]

Xales,

My personal take on Labours inability to put people before corporate profit, stems from neo-liberalism itself. When the media is corporate owned they would get a roasting. When the media speaks, people assimilate this into their thinking. I also believe that without corporate backing any party would find itself in a difficult position. It will take a very brave party with the backing of the people to take on corporate tax avoidance, regulate the banks and demand better pay for workers.

[MiniTheMinx]

Not sure if teaching politics in schools would help. How can you be sure that it wouldn't be biased?

I think what should be done in schools is to establish debating societies, encourage children to speak in public and have confidence in expressing their views.

[idiuntno57]

YANBU but I think it is not all their 'fault'

Poverty is relative and in a society where there are some high profile 'haves' getting away with tax evasion etc. calls to penalise the poorest are hitting the wrong people.

If I hear the word 'hard working' applied before 'families' to imply middle class people with slightly compromised living standards as opposed to benefit 'cheats' another time I think I'll scream

Working for minimum wage is no life and being on benefits not much better/worse.

These children haven't got a chance.

I just can't believe that these so called clever politicians and their advisers can't think of a decent solution... or is it just because they are too busy lining the pockets of their cronies to consider a radical long term plan??

[idiuntno57]

sorry meant to say of any party. Though this lot seem particularly idiotic

[MrsKeithRichards]

Why do people assume being anti Tory makes you pro labour?

Op yanbu.

[idiuntno57]

wannabe

I think part of the problem is that once they enter politics, esp parliament, no matter how well being they are 'turned' by the system. The only way to succeed there - it seems to me - is to become utterly self seeking.

[MiniTheMinx]

The divide and rule tactics are tiresome but to those in power quite necessary. How very dare the working people of the uk hang together and have shared cause for concern over their lives, how very dare we all stand together and demand change and democratic government with policies that put people before greed.

[MiniTheMinx]

MrsKeithRichards......well said. I vote labour, what choice is there but I seriously question my own sanity when I put a cross in the box. Combining big state spending with neo-liberal low tax rates, flighty foreign capital and deregulation, privatiation of all profits and socialised risk underwritten by tax payers spells........bankrupt.

[Bodicea]

Nothing to do with the fact that the tories always inherit a bankrupt country and have to pick up the pieces and make the tough decisions after labour has frivolously and unsustainably spent all the money??? Did you know Gordon Brown sold all the countries gold in the middle of a boom - when gold prices were at their lowest!!!

[MiniTheMinx]

Oh, no, I have been living in a tent in sherwood forest

Apart from the last term, when else have labour left the country bankrupt?

The reason the UK is near collapse isn't because of labour but because of neo-liberalism. Same with the USA and many other countries that have adopted it.