Author Archives: Martin Narey

Opinion: Social mobility – we can make a difference

Last week’s Liberal Democrat News carried the following article from Martin Narey:

The UK is the fifth richest nation on Earth, yet it has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the industrialised world. Labour has made some commendable progress in reducing the truly shocking level of child poverty they inherited in 1997.

But even after allowing for the implementation of Budget measures for which investment has been found, they find themselves a million adrift from their ambition to halve child poverty by 2010.

Poverty can have a profound impact on a child, on his or her family, and the rest of society. It often sets in motion a deepening spiral of social exclusion, contributing to problems in education, employment, mental and physical health and social interaction. But what should really make child poverty alarm us all is the disturbing fact that a child born into deprivation seems now more likely to inherit his or her parents’ disadvantage than at any time in our recent past.

Posted in Op-eds and Party policy and internal matters | 10 Comments
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  • Michal Simon
    I agree with the basic diagnosis. The Liberal Democrats do not need another slogan that will briefly “cut through” in the media. They need an answer to a mu...
  • expats
    Well, there were two articles in a National newspaper today... OK, it was the Guardian BUT at least they were there.. One very positive about 'moderate Tories ...
  • Janet King
    Thank you so much for reminding us of the successful work which you and other local Liberal Democrat councillors do and have done over many years to sort out un...
  • Alan Jelfs
    If we're talking a 25-year timescale than an essential part of that must be reducing the National Dept, currently costing £100billion a year to service. That ...
  • Jason Connor
    In case you haven't heard, there is a cost of living crisis. So very high prices for food, I spent £70 on just a shop for myself the other day and not much for...