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Lib Dems pledge to lift 5m out of poverty

27/07/2007

The Liberal Democrat party has unveiled plans to lift five million people out of relative poverty by 2020.

According to the party, the "radical plans" would give underprivileged people educational and employment opportunities, as well as incentives to work and save.

Under the proposals £1.5 billion would be directed towards children in the greatest need, while a reform of the tax credits system would, the Lib Dems claim, boost child benefit by £5 per family per week and take 150,000 children out of poverty.

Today's policy report, entitled Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All: Policies for a fairer Britain, also calls for Job Centre Plus to be replaced with a 'First Steps' agency dealing with benefit and tax credit claims.

Commenting on the report, Lib Dem children, schools, and families spokesman David Laws said: "This radical new agenda to combat poverty rejects Gordon Brown's blueprint for a state of dependency, where the spread of mass means-testing undermines incentives to work, save and even form stable families."

Mr Laws added that the educational stance of David Cameron's Conservative party represented a "great leap backwards to the failed policies of Victorian Britain".

Last week Ed Balls, the children, schools and families secretary, announced a £456 million project to support the wellbeing of families in the UK.

"Our aspirations are straightforward and ambitious," he said.

"Every child deserves to be safe and loved and have a healthy and happy childhood, free from harm. And every child should have the chance to make the most of their talents and fulfil their potential.

"To do this, we must provide excellent universal services for all children and their families; be able to identify potential problems early, before things go wrong; and when children are at risk, do something quickly to help children and their families get back on track."

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