Launch of new Poverty Strategy Commission in the UK
from Legatum Institute:
Cross-party, cross-sectoral commission of politicians, business leaders and civil society unite to develop strategy to tackle persistent poverty in the UK.
A group of the leading thinkers across left and right have today united to form a ‘Poverty Strategy Commission’ to develop ideas for reducing poverty in the UK.
In a joint letter from over 20 leaders in politics, business and civil society, the Poverty Strategy Commissioners said:
“Together, we can tackle poverty. That is the message from the Poverty Strategy Commission, which we publicly launch today. But doing so will require a different approach. While concerted political and policy efforts have meant that some groups, including pensioners, have benefited from lower poverty rates, the last 20 years have seen the overall poverty rate in the UK remain stubbornly above 20% and the number of people in deep and persistent poverty increase. That has been the symptom of an approach that has used poverty as a political football and a result of the fact that, collectively, we have failed to appreciate that poverty affects us all, and we are all responsible for tackling it. “
The Commission, convened by the Legatum Institute CEO and former special advisor at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Baroness Stroud, includes the Labour Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Stephen Timms and a former DWP Secretary of State Stephen Crabb. From civil society, a range of thinkers are represented including the Associate Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Helen Barnard, a former advisor to Tony Blair and expert on social policy Carey Oppenheim, the Director of Reform Charlotte Pickles, and the head of Citizens UK, Matthew Bolton. Business leaders are also part of the commission, notably James Timpson, the CEO of Timpson.
Together they have set themselves to finding genuine solutions, adopting a cross-party, cross-sectoral approach.
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