Waging A War On Poverty and The Causes Of Poverty

David Cameron’s ‘Hugo Young’ lecture was a seminal event in British politics.  Not only was he challenging Labour on what they have arrogantly and complacently regarded as ‘their own turf’, he also exposed the failure of Labour and Labour’s policies to help relieve poverty.  Only this morning, a Guardian poll showed that more people regard us as ‘champions of the poor’ than regard Labour in the same light.  Little wonder that Frank Field has suggested that the speech and associated progressive Tory thinking on poverty has “declared war on Labour’s reason for existence… it is a wonderfully bold beginning.”

The past twelve years have been years of betrayal of the most vulnerable in society.  We still have pockets have poverty in the UK that should shame us as a nation.  As David Cameron pointed out last week:

• The incomes of the bottom ten per cent in society fell by £6 per week between 2002 and 2008 after housing costs;
• The number of people living in extreme poverty has increased by 900,000 over the past decade;
• Nearly one million 16-24 year olds are out of work;
• Social mobility has gone backwards.

Despite any number of Government schemes, poverty and inequality have worsened.  New Labour’s approach has blatantly failed the most vulnerable.

A progressive Conservative Government must declare war on poverty and the causes of poverty.  One of our tests of success will be ensuring that poverty is dramatically reduced, social mobility is dramatically improved and society as a whole becomes fairer and more equal.    That means school reform and welfare reform with the express ambition of helping the most vulnerable.  It means encouraging social entrepreneurs, community engagement and an empowered society.  And, yes, in some cases it does mean thoughtful state intervention to improve the lives of the most vulnerable, as opposed to the bureaucratic, blunderbuss approach of Gordon Brown.

Labour have failed the poorest in society.  We can not, and will not, let the poorest down.  We must take the words of Lloyd George, when giving his ‘People’s Budget’ as our watchword after the next election: “I cannot help hoping and believing that before this generation has passed away, we shall have advanced a great step towards that good time, when poverty, and the wretchedness and human degradation which always follows in its camp, will be as remote to the people of this country as the wolves which once infested its forests.”

Related posts:

1. Channel 4 Should Not Be Using The Tragedy Of Poverty As ‘Entertainment’
2. Glasgow East must be used to expose Labour’s grotesque failure to eradicate extreme poverty