The Benefit System, Welfare to Work

– Douglas Alexander's new consensus on poverty

Douglas Alexander’s New Consensus on Poverty

Douglas Alexander, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said in a speech to the Child Poverty Action Group AGM:  “Simplifying the benefits system might have its advantages” but “we have to reaffirm that inequality in our economy and our society matters”.


He stated that he was looking forward to campaigning and working with the CPAG, who he said was a ‘leading voice’, in challenging the Government, adding that Labour were ready to work to build a new consensus on poverty whenever the opportunity arises and to check against delivery. Mr Alexander gave one example mentioned: “a Parliamentary answer the Government gave today admitted that the hundreds of thousands of children they have said will be taken out of poverty by universal credit is only a figure pencilled in for 2018.

 

“I’ll judge the Government’s proposals on their merits and support reforms, like benefit simplification or the Work Programme that can help achieve progressive goals.”


There are four building blocks for a new consensus on poverty:

 

  • Work remains the best route out of poverty. Raising the lone parent employment rate to 75 per cent would take half a million children out of poverty.
  • Social mobility is crucial, it’s driven by education and it’s the early years that matter most.
  • We have to reaffirm that inequality in our economy and our society matters. The New Policy Institute study earlier this week, found that about half of the children growing up in poverty do so despite the fact that at least one of their parents goes out to work. For that reason, Ed Miliband is right to be advocating the living wage.
  • Poverty isn’t experienced by atomised individuals acting as totally independent economic agents. Poverty is endured by families and to communities – and building relationships and supporting families are central to any sustained assault on poverty. Have to be aware of the impact the private economy and public policy are having on the quality of family relationships. Isolation and lack of community are vital determinants in persistent child poverty.

To read Douglas Alexander’s speech click here

Jason McGee-Abe

www.yesminiter.org.uk

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