The Labour Party has often been wracked by disputes over ideological differences, but there has always been an internal consensus among the various factional players that a minimal aim of Labour in government is to reduce poverty. Gaitskellite, Bevanite, Blairite, Brownite, Corbynite: all agreed that Labour had a distinctive distributional mission that sought to use the state … [Read more...] about Labour and ending poverty
poverty
Energy market reforms must embrace a social tariff
The British energy regulator Ofgem has announced the energy price cap for the last quarter of 2023, including early winter. Gas and electricity should be slightly cheaper than last year, but they are still too expensive. The problem is the cap itself which, as I have written before, was never designed to keep energy affordable. It limits profits for suppliers but not bills for … [Read more...] about Energy market reforms must embrace a social tariff
Eradicating poverty in Scotland: a long way to go
Today saw a new set of data released on income and poverty across the UK. The full set of data and analysis for Scotland have been published by the Scottish Government here. For Scotland, this is the first set of figures we’ve had for a couple of years due to the impact that the pandemic had on the size of the survey sample. These statistics also give us an insight into … [Read more...] about Eradicating poverty in Scotland: a long way to go
Emergency: close the gap between real life and government ‘FACTS’
Tested positive? Stay at home. Can’t afford to take time off work? The Scottish Government has an answer. From 16 February more people on low pay can apply for a £500 grant to self-isolate. But is that enough? Will it help to stop the spread of infection and reduce deaths from Covid? Such questions – and the time-consuming bureaucracy attached to the £500 grant – reveal the … [Read more...] about Emergency: close the gap between real life and government ‘FACTS’
Finding a better way: a frontline view
One ten-year-old boy spent the whole of lockdown in his high rise flat due to his parent’s fear of the virus. Fear, poverty, social isolation – the pandemic has compounded the daily challenges facing families in minority ethnic communities. Covid-19 and lockdown have together led to loss of income and evictions among black and minority ethnic families who are also only too … [Read more...] about Finding a better way: a frontline view