Rebecca Long-Bailey, MP for Salford, has intensified her calls for the new Labour government to end child poverty in the UK, urging immediate and comprehensive action. Inspired by Ewan MacColl’s song “Dirty Old Town,” she lamented that despite Salford’s development, poverty remains a significant issue. Long-Bailey pointed to alarming statistics, noting that 4.2 million children live in poverty, with two-thirds coming from working families.
She specifically called on the new Labour Government to prioritize the abolition of the two-child limit on universal credit, labelling it as “cruel and ineffective.” Additionally, Long-Bailey criticized the inadequate increases in child benefits amid rising inflation, emphasizing that more robust measures are necessary to support struggling families. She also advocated for free school meals for all primary school children, further highlighting the detrimental effects of poverty on children’s health and well-being.
Rebecca Long-Bailey’s focus on child poverty dovetails with Labour’s overarching mission to create a fairer, more just society. She emphasized the urgency for legislative measures to alleviate the financial strains on families and lift children out of poverty. Her campaign underscores Labour’s dedication to addressing inequality and ensuring that economic recovery benefits all segments of society.
Child poverty in Salford, significantly impacts the community, affecting children’s physical and mental health, educational attainment, and overall quality of life. In Salford, over one-third of children live in poverty, often in households where parents are working yet still unable to make ends meet. This leads to issues such as food insecurity, inadequate clothing, and limited access to educational resources and extracurricular activities. The stress and stigma associated with poverty can also lead to mental health problems for both children and their families. Efforts to combat this issue include initiatives to increase social security benefits, provide free school meals, and ensure fair wages for working parents.
