Up-to-date news on the campaign to end child poverty. http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk   Published Today in The Guardian newspaper   The Editor,   Keeping the promise   On the 4th of October, 10,000 people marched to Trafalgar square to demand that the Government keep their promise to halve child poverty by 2010. The Pre Budget Report is a vital opportunity for the Government to make a commitment towards the £3bn investment that a range of experts judge necessary to achieve this.   Current economic difficulties have led some to suggest that tackling child poverty is a luxury we can no longer afford. But not only is ending child poverty the right thing to do, it is also an investment in the future  and one which, by helping poor families afford necessities for their children, provides the fiscal stimulus politicians are looking for. Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published this month shows that the costs of not doing so reach at least £25 billion.   We’ve recently seen Governments invest many billions of pounds stabilizing the banking system with the argument that not doing so would lead to even greater costs in the long term. Investing in child poverty today should similarly be seen as spending to save.   As members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty we urge the Chancellor to take this opportunity to keep the promise to a generation of children,   Yours sincerely   Hilary Fisher Director End Child Poverty Maxine Wrigley   A National Voice Claire Tickell Chief Executive Action for Children Mary Bousted General Secretary ATL David Holmes Chief Executive BAAF Gerry Morrissey General Secretary BECTU Hanne Stinson Chief Executive British Humanist Association Margaret Lochrie Chief Executive Capacity Ltd Philipa Gitlin Director Caritas Social Action Network Katy Barton Director CCNUK Lloyd Bowen TU Operations Manager Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Kate Green OBE Chief Executive Child Poverty Action Group Sean O'Neill   Children in Wales Elaine Clowes Chief Executive Children's Links Bob Reitmeier Chief Executive Children's Society Niall Cooper National Co-ordinator Church Action on Poverty Philip Giddings Chair of the MPA Council Church of England Srabani Sen Chief Executive Contact a Family Roberta Goldstein Communications Manager Coram Chris Tapp Director Credit Action Alison Garnham and Emma Knights Joint Chief Executives Daycare Trust Claire Caves Secretary EAPN England Norman Kerr   Energy Action Scotland Louise Franklin Campaign Manager Every Disabled Child Matters Jon Davies Chief Executive Families Need Fathers Helen Dent Chief Executive Family Action Duncan Fisher Chief Executive Fatherhood Institute Katherine Rake Chief Executive Fawcett Society Frances Crook Director Howard League for Penal Reform Dave Simmonds Chief Executive Inclusion Dr Ute Navidi Chief Executive London Play Christine Keates General Secretary NASUWT Paul Ennals Chief Executive http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/news.php?id=23&nid=136 Campaign to End Child Poverty Director Hilary Fisher said: "Child poverty means an unacceptable cost to children and families experiencing poverty, but this research shows that not ending child poverty costs us all at least £25 billion per year. In comparison, the £3 billion End Child Poverty Campaign members have been calling for to help meet the 2010 target to halve child poverty is very small indeed. "The time is now for governmnet to keep its promise by investing in children - it can't afford not to." http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/news.php?id=23&nid=135 ePolitix.com asked a group of MPs to give their views on the Campaign to End Child Poverty and the government’s plans to enshrine in law the target of abolishing child poverty by 2020. Their comments are outlined below. Comment from Harry Cohen MP: Child poverty is a seriously awful blight on innocent lives. It makes them vulnerable to unnecessary health risks, taking many years off lives. It swiftly brings educational disadvantage, leading on to damage to life chances. It has social disorder consequences and, again unnecessary, suffering. Also, Britain needs to take advantage of all its human talents, not have many ending up a cost. Of course, there are exceptions but social mobility, up to better quality of living and prosperity, is low in Britain. A cycle of child poverty through generations sets in unless dealt with. The Government target of ending child poverty by 2020 must be met. I would be dismayed if there were distractions which stopped its attainment and that of the 2010 interim target to halve it. Comment from Barbara Keeley MP: The work of the End Child Poverty Campaign is invaluable in keeping child poverty at the top of the Government's agenda. The thousands who marched earlier this month to 'Keep the Promise' shows how strongly the British people support measures to eradicate child poverty. I was delighted to hear the Prime Minister's promise to introduce legislation to enshrine in law Labour's pledge to end child poverty by 2020. In areas of my own constituency, families living in deprived areas need continuing action to help them lift their family incomes. The introduction of the minimum wage, the New Deal, Child Tax credits, and the Child Trust Fund have all contributed to improving children's lives. But continuing action is also needed to ensure that in the future no child in this country lives in poverty. Comment from John Battle MP: Following the successful End Child Poverty 'Keep The Promise' demonstration in London, the banners that urged the Government to fulfil its pledge to reduce child poverty by 50 per cent by 2015 need to be carried into Parliament and fixed in position as a reminder to Government and all politicians that in this present climate of financial crisis and economic downturn, it is even more imperative that coordinated action to eradicate child poverty is stepped up. Comment from: Hilary Armstrong MP: In 1999 Tony Blair set the goal to end child poverty by 2020, and halving it by 2010. No government in history has demonstrated this scale of ambition for its children – it is a historic and ambitious goal. Since 1997 positive government action has now turned this around. However we still face a huge challenge with 2.9 million children still living in poverty. To answer this challenge we must move beyond universal provision, towards personalised interventions and targeting of those most at risk, of sharing data and information across agencies, and of identifying what works and what doesn't so the right people receive the right response to their unique needs. It's a two way process – with positive action taken by government agencies, but at the same time rights with responsibilities means a real commitment and partnership from those receiving support. Comment from: Annette Brooke MP: It is important that we, as MPs, play a central role in eradicating child poverty. Through giving families the support they need, this can and must become reality by the Government's target of 2020. Helping parents back to employment is key, but so is providing a fairer taxation and benefits system, so it is not the poorest who are hit disproportionately. Education and support are crucial factors in the fight against poverty and indeed in breaking into the vicious circle of poverty – every child in this country deserves the right to high-quality education. It is up to us to give children and families the necessary tools to improve their lives. http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/news.php?id=23&nid=134 The Campaign to End Child Poverty met the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, on Saturday. Campaign chairman Martin Narey and director Hilary Fisher were accompanied by trustees Kate Green, Pauls Ennals and Jasmine Whitbread. They were invited for talks with Gordon Brown on the morning 10,000 demanded he Keep The Promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020. Hilary said: “We asked Gordon Brown to hear our plea and he listened. “He listened because of the strength of feeling End Child Poverty supporters have shown him. “The rally turnout was just phenomenal. Because of the massive amount of support we had our message has been heard loud and clear. “Thank you to everyone who backed Keep The Promise.” The Government will have a legal duty to eradicate child poverty in the UK by 2020, Gordon Brown said following talks with campaigners. Speaking in 10 Downing Street following the meeting, Mr Brown said that the fight against child poverty is one of the ‘great causes of this generation’. “… I am saying that we will in law make it the duty of Government by 2020 to eradicate child poverty in this country. “While it is a long haul, we want to show step by step how we can achieve that goal.” The PM said that everyone campaigning for the cause believes that every child is special, precious and unique. “Every child deserves the support of this generation,” he said. http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/news.php?id=23&nid=133 More than 10,000 people travelled from around the country to take part in the largest ever rally to end child poverty in the UK. Keep The Promise, staged by the Campaign to End Child Poverty, saw thousands of people join forces to call on the Government to keep its promise of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020. Host Chris Parker was joined on stage by the Children’s Society’s celebrity campaigner Sophie Ellis Bextor who performed two songs. Sophie said: “The End Child Poverty rally brought together thousands of people for one main reason – because they all want to see an end to child poverty in the UK. "Today, we all sent a clear message to the Government that as a nation we will not sit back and watch millions of children face a bleak future simply by default of being born into a poor family. "I felt extremely proud and honoured to have played a part in such a vital event.” Chris said: "As a Londoner I was shocked and saddened to learn that four in ten children in London are living in poverty - 12 per cent above the national average! "It’s time to send a wake-up call to the Government and let it know that the public will not accept a continued increase in child poverty.” Director of End Child Poverty Hilary Fisher said: “What an amazing day! We’re extremely grateful for everyone who made the effort to come to London for this historic event. "3.9 million children in this country live in poverty.  Public pressure is vital to make the Government keep its pledge to put an end to child poverty in the UK today. "The Keep The Promise rally showed Gordon Brown how passionate this country is. “We are encouraging anyone who couldn’t make the rally to sign our online pledge, which will be delivered to Downing Street. "The Government made a bold promise, now we must all hold them to it.” ENDS http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/news.php?id=23&nid=132