CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond has been accused of “living in a different world” after he refused to recognise that millions of Britain’s people are mired in poverty.
Mr Hammond rejected the conclusion of a report by Philip Alston, the United Nations rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, that the poor in this country number 14 million.
The report also found that 1.5 million are “destitute” and accused the government of pursuing a “punitive, mean-spirited and often callous” agenda.
As Scotland heads to the polls, the main parties offer variations on the same script, says MATT KERR
If the government really wanted to address public finances, improve living standards and begin economic recovery, it would increase its borrowing for investment, argues MICHAEL BURKE
Building is the solution for much of our housing crisis – and will also help to address poverty, ill health, and even anti-social behaviour and alienation, writes KENNY MacASKILL
We cannot refuse to abolish the unjustifiable two-child benefit cap that pushes children into poverty while finding billions of pounds for defence spending — the membership and the public expect better from Labour, writes JON TRICKETT MP