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Member of Parliament for Bradford East@DavidWardMP on Twitter and Facebook |
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David Ward MP <>
Labour has failed to make a fairer Britain
April 5, 2010 10:00 AM
Labour has failed the poorest
New research shows that the richest 10% of people are now 100 times better off than the poorest.
After thirteen years of a Labour Government, Britain has become less fair, not more fair.
David Ward said: "It's shocking that the gap between rich and poor is wider now than under Margaret Thatcher.
This leads of real unfairness. People's life chances are profoundly affected by how much money their parents earn and where they are born. Things have got to change."
The recently published Hills Report shows that Labour have failed the plug the gap between rich and poor.
"Tackling inequality is what we thought Labour would do when they came to power in 1997. We really did expect so much more," David said.
"Unemployment in our area is now 6.2% - hi9gher than the rest of Bradford. There are 10 applicants for every job.
Almost five thousand children qualify for free school meals in our area. According to Save the children there are now 1.7 million children living in severe poverty."
The Liberal Democrats want to tackle this problem by investing ₤2500 in schools for every child on free school meals. It would mean around ₤12 million extra funding for schools in our area and ₤44 million across Bradford.
"Our plans would make a real difference to the lives of our children," says David Ward. "This would be the first step to making life chances fair and closing the gap between the rich and poor."