Friday night saw the annual BBC’s Children in Need Charity Appeal. ‘BBC’s Children in Need is the BBC’s UK Corporate charity. Their vision is that ‘Every child in the UK has a childhood which is, safe, happy and secure and allows them the chance to reach their potential’. This is achieved through providing grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. Currently supporting over 2, 400 projects, which help children facing a range of disadvantages, such as poverty and deprivation.
Ironically, on the same day (Friday, 16th November, 2018), Professor Philip Alston published his Statement in regards to Extreme Poverty and Human Rights within the UK. His statement made as Special Rapporteur on Poverty for the United Nations, is an appalling indictment of the impact of the Conservative party ‘austerity’ measures, since 2010.
The United Kingdom is presently the fifth largest economy, in the world, yet what the United Nations Inquiry uncovered are levels of poverty and deprivation which the government should be ashamed of.
‘It seems patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty……14 million people, a fifth of the population, live in poverty. For almost one in every two children to be poor in 21st Century Britain is not just a disgrace but a social calamity and economic disaster rolled into one’.
As the full impact of austerity measures have taken effect, charities such as Children in Need, have become more vital. Over the years Pudsey Bear has become a much loved mascot, yet we fail to recognise what Pudsey truly represents. Which is, Why one of the richest nations in the world needs a bear called Pudsey, to help support 30% of children in the UK, who are forced to live in poverty and deprivation?
Professor Alston, concludes within his report, that
‘Austerity could easily have spared the poor, if the political will had existed to do so. Resources were available to the treasury, at the last budget that could have transformed the situation of millions of people living in poverty, but the political choice was made to fund tax cuts for the wealthy instead’.
The likely impact of Brexit, and the deep uncertainty as a result of this issue, is cause for even greater concern. The most vulnerable and disadvantaged within the United Kingdom will be most affected. The IMF reports that a
could result in a loss of between 5% - 8% of GDP, costing each household thousands of pounds. A financial impact which very few will be able to bear!