CPAG: Fresh debate needed on making the economy fair
Thursday, 14 February 2013
4:47 PM
Commenting on Ed Miliband’s speech today on the economy and living standards, Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said:
“The austerity agenda is hurting, but it’s not working. We’re standing on the brink of a disastrous surge in child poverty, which will come at great social and economic cost if we let it happen. So we welcome a fresh debate on how the wealthiest can make a fairer contribution, because right now it is families with children who are being made to carry the greatest burden, despite not being the cause of our economic crisis.
“Tax fairness and protecting the poorest from debt traps and loan sharks should be a part of that debate, but we also need to hear much more from Ed Miliband and all the party leaders on the value to British people and the economy of social security, and their vision for strengthening it. Social security benefits and tax credits have been essential to keeping families afloat through the economic crisis by protecting those facing job loss, pay cuts and loss of working hours from homelessness, hunger and destitution.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
· CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
· CPAG is the host organisation for the Campaign to End Child Poverty, which has over 150 member organisations and is campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goal of ending child poverty by 2020 is met.
For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
tnichols@cpag.org.uk
www.cpag.org.uk
Tags: - child poverty
, - debt
, - economic policy
, - economics
, - economy
, - ed miliband
, - inequality
, - lending
, - loan sharks
, - poverty
, - tax credit
, - tax credits
, - working tax credit
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