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Poverty gap widens under Labour

By Archiver, 8 November, 2010

Remember the Tories looking after the rich at the expense of the poor? Remember the jubilation when the Labour Government was finally elected in 1997? Remember all the promises? Well, the latest research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies says the total poverty gap - the total income by which families fall short of the poverty line - has increased under Labour.

The report concludes that children who live in the poorest UK households have less of a chance of escaping poverty than when Labour came to power. Yet, child poverty is one of Labour's key targets, and has been at the heart of the political agenda since 1999.

Although some poor families have benefited, it is the rich who have benefited more. According to government surveys, 1.1 million children live in households with less than 40% of the national average income. Four out of 10 of these children live in households that do not receive any of the main means-tested benefits - even though they may be entitled to claim.

More and more people are being forced in to minimum wage jobs that are casual, temporary and often part-time. It is these in low-paid minimum wage jobs that are stuck in the poverty trap between benefits and a decent wage.

So, for all their talk, this government has failed abysmally to tackle poverty.Their policies benefit the rich at the expense of the poor - and they are set to continue to do so.

    • poverty
    • Labour Party
    • Catalyst posts

    Guides

    Your rights at work

    About SolFed

    About SolFed

    Do you sometimes feel your union isn’t listening to you? (Solidarity Federation Education Union - SFEU)

    SFEU-flyer-2024-front

    What is wage theft?

    What is wage theft

    This is our flag - it tells you what we stand for

    this-is-our-flag

    Solidarity Federation Hospitality Workers Union (SFHWU)

    sfhwu leaflet front

    Stuff your boss (doesn't want you to know)

    Stuff your boss (doesn't want you to know)

    Why do we organise? Capitalism is shit, oppression is shit - but what can we at SolFed do about it?

    Why do we organise?

    Stuff your sexist boss (doesn't want you to know) (2018)

    Stuff your sexist boss (doesn't want you to know) (2018)

    Cost of living - Organise and fight back with the Solidarity Federation

    Cost of living - Organise and fight back with the Solidarity Federation

    Don't cross picket lines! Solidarity is the most powerful force in the world

    Don't cross picket lines

    Direct Action #2 (2024)

    Direct Action #2 (2024)

    Don't just moan - Organise!

    Don't just moan - Organise!

    Is your cleaning job killing you? A guide to cleaners health and safety (2017)

    Stuff your landlord (doesn't want you to know) (2016)

    Stuff your landlord (doesn't want you to know) (2016)

    Fed up with your landlord? Organise and fight back!

    Fed up with your landlord? Organise and fight back!

    A migrant's guide to Manchester (2016)

    A migrant's guide to Manchester (2016)

    SolFed supports trans liberation - transphobia is a workplace and housing issue

    SolFed supports Trans Liberation - transphobia is a workplace and housing issue

    Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)

    Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)

    Solidarity Federation - Where we stand

    Solidarity Federation - Where we stand

    Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain – a little history (2015)

    Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain – a little history (2015)

    Strike - a guide to walking out (2014)

    Strike - a guide to walking out (2014)

    Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism (Rudolf Rocker, 2014)

    Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism (Rudolf Rocker, 2014)

    There's power in a union

    theres-power-in-a-union

    A migrant's guide to London (2014)

    A migrant's guide to London (2014)

    Fighting for ourselves - anarcho-syndicalism and the class struggle (2012)

    Fighting for ourselves - anarcho-syndicalism and the class struggle (2012)

    Theory & Practice 1 - Workmates - direct action workplace organising on the London underground (2011)

    Theory & Practice 1 - Workmates - direct action workplace organising on the London underground (2011)

    The Economics of freedom (2003)

    The Economics of freedom (2003)

    A history of anarcho-syndicalism (SelfEd Collective, 24 unit series, 2001)

    A history of anarcho-syndicalism (SelfEd Collective, 24 unit series, 2001)

    Out of the frying pan, a critical look at works councils (1998)

    Out of the frying pan, a critical look at works councils (1998)

    Health and safety at work - an anarcho-syndicalist approach (1997)

    Health and safety at work - an anarcho-syndicalist approach (1997)

    Theory & Practice 2 - Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real (1994)

    Theory & Practice 2 - Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real (1994)

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    The Solidarity Federation is an anarcho-syndicalist union, a means for people seeking to improve our lives to organise in our workplaces and communities. SolFed brings together people in all occupations regardless of industry, sector or trade – whether we’re employed or not.

    SolFed seeks the abolition of capitalism and the institutions of power that are associated with it, such as the state. Our goal is to create a society centred on needs rather than profit, based upon the principle ‘from each according to ability, to each according to need’.

    We believe in the principle of direct action – that means doing something for ourselves and not expecting leaders or representatives to act on our behalf.

    SolFed members organise ourselves in a federation of local unions; in education we are in the Solidarity Federation Education Union (SFEU) and our members in hospitality are in the Solidarity Federation Hospitality Workers Union (SFHWU)

    Join us!