People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin said the new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer must act on child poverty.
Said the Foyleside councillor: “The content of the Starmer’s King’s Speech will leave many deeply disappointed when it comes to addressing child poverty, challenging a status quo rigged in favour of the powerful and opposing Israel’s Gaza genocide.
“King Charles arrived in a gold carriage but there was no commitment from Keir Starmer to abolish the two-child limit responsible for throwing so many families into poverty.
“Setting up a taskforce to look at child poverty is an insult to millions of children and families trapped in poverty and to the organisations who have campaigned relentlessly for action.
“Extreme child poverty in one of the richest societies on earth is a disgrace.
“Starmer’s government now has access to resources to make child poverty history.
“Undoing the vicious two-child policy as a step towards the complete abolition of child poverty should be at the top of an incoming Labour government’s agenda.
“Almost 25% of children in Derry live in poverty because of Westminster and Stormont policies.
“The Tories and Stormont have both cynically promoted charity and food banks, instead of actually tackling poverty. This must end.
“Stormont still doesn’t have a funded anti-poverty strategy and refused to reinstate holiday meal funding for the summer.
“There is a tremendous desire for change but we can’t depend on Starmer or the main parties in Stormont.
“The two-child policy must be scrapped. Stormont must bring forward an anti-poverty strategy that will end the need for food banks.
“Change happens when there’s mobilisation by ordinary people.
“We need to prepare for this now.”
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