Emeritus Prof Christopher May

While child poverty worsened considerably under more than a decade of Tory govt., its also clear that Labour's refusal to lift the two-child benefit cap is compounding that effect.

As the Children's Commissioner observes, children, 'don’t talk about ‘poverty’ as an abstract concept but about not having the things that most people would consider basic'... no wonder Rachel de Souza refers to this as Dickensian.

As a society we should find this unacceptable!

#poverty

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/08/children-england-living-almost-dickensian-levels-poverty

Children in England ‘living in almost Dickensian levels of poverty’

Children’s commissioner says any Labour strategy to tackle deprivation must scrap the two-child benefit cap

The Guardian
Jul 8, 2025 at 5:40amWeb
Show threadEdwardCam285Jul 8, 2025
@ChrisMayLA6 I suggest we launch a campaign to sell the royal solid gold state coach and use the funds for the poor and old and sick.
Show threadHerefordrobJul 8, 2025
@ChrisMayLA6
I would suggest UBI as a possibility to reduce poverty (generally), mental illness & housing problems. Increase self esteem, community development. I realise the the arguments on both sides are complex but overall results from pilots have been positive.
Show threadEmeritus Prof Christopher MayJul 8, 2025

@Herefordrob

Yes, we have discussed this before on the timeline, and other than its cost(s) I think we all agree its a god idea; the issue is that a level to make a difference the costs to the state would require a complete retaining of fiscal economics - which of course, may be no bad thing