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Child Poverty and Housing, End Child Poverty 2007
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Letter to the Editor - 19th of Nov, 2008
Published Today in The Guardian newspaper
The Editor,
Keeping the promise
On the 4th of October, 10,000 people marched to Trafalgar square to demand that the Government keep their promise to halve child poverty by 2010. The Pre Budget Report is a vital opportunity for the Government to make a commitment towards the £3bn investment that a range of experts judge necessary to achieve this.
Current economic difficulties have led some to suggest that tackling child poverty is a luxury we can no longer afford. But not only is ending child poverty the right thing to do, it is also an investment in the future and one which, by helping poor families afford necessities for their children, provides the fiscal stimulus politicians are looking for. Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published this month shows that the costs of not doing so reach at least £25 billion. We’ve recently seen Governments invest many billions of pounds stabilizing the banking system with the argument that not doing so would lead to even greater costs in the long term. Investing in child poverty today should similarly be seen as spending to save.
As members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty we urge the Chancellor to take this opportunity to keep the promise to a generation of children,
Yours sincerely
Maxine Wrigley A National Voice Claire Tickell Chief Executive Action for Children Mary Bousted General Secretary ATL David Holmes Chief Executive BAAF Gerry Morrissey General Secretary BECTU Hanne Stinson Chief Executive British Humanist Association Margaret Lochrie Chief Executive Capacity Ltd Philipa Gitlin Director Caritas Social Action Network Katy Barton Director CCNUK Lloyd Bowen TU Operations Manager Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Kate Green, OBE Chief Executive Child Poverty Action Group Sean O'Neill, Children in Wales Elaine Clowes, Chief Executive Children's Links Bob Reitmeier, Chief Executive Children's Society Niall Cooper, National Co-ordinator Church Action on Poverty Philip Giddings, Chair of the MPA Council Church of England Srabani Sen, Chief Executive Contact a Family Roberta Goldstein, Communications Manager Coram Chris Tapp, Director Credit Action Alison Garnham and Emma Knights, Joint Chief Executives Daycare Trust Claire Caves, Secretary EAPN England Hilary Fisher, Director End Child Poverty Norman Kerr, Energy Action Scotland Louise Franklin, Campaign Manager Every Disabled Child Matters Jon Davies, Chief Executive Families Need Fathers Helen Dent, Chief Executive Family Action Duncan Fisher, Chief Executive Fatherhood Institute Katherine Rake, Chief Executive Fawcett Society Frances Crook, Director Howard League for Penal Reform Dave Simmonds, Chief Executive Inclusion Dr Ute Navidi, Chief Executive London Play Christine Keates, General Secretary NASUWT Paul Ennals, Chief Executive National Children's Bureau Jenny Saunders, CEO National Energy Action Kevin Flynn, Chair National Unemployed Centres Combine Wes Streeting, President National Union of Students Tim Poil, General Secretary Nationwide Group Staff Union Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive NCT Purmina Tanuku, Chief Executive NDNA Kevin Rowan, Regional Secretary Northern TUC Wes Cuell, Acting Chief Executive NSPCC Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary NUT Fiona Weir, Chief Executive One Parent Families|Gingerbread Kate Waring, Director of UK Poverty Program Oxfam Steve Alexander, Chief Executive Preschool Learning Alliance Celia Atherton, Chief Executive Research in Practice Brian Lamb, Executive Director of Policy and Advocacy RNID Dr Peter Carter, OBE Chief Executive and General Secretary Royal College of Nursing Len Tyler, Chief Executive Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive Save the Children Irene Audain, MBE Chief Executive Scottish Out of School Care Network Derek Twine, CBE Chief Executive Scout Association Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary SERTUC Adam Sampson, Chief Executive Shelter Sandra Rome, Director of Children's Services Spurgeons Kevin Williams, Chief Executive The Adolescent and Children's Trust Peter Kelly, Director The Poverty Alliance Sally Hunt ,General Secretary UCU Ivan Corea, FRSA Chief Executive UK Autism Foundation Eileen Devaney, National Co-ordinator UK Coalition Against Poverty Anita Tiessen, Deputy Executive Director, Communications and Programmes Unicef June O'Sullivan, Chief Executive Westminster Children's Society Jill Harrison, Director of Children's Services Whizz Kidz Sarah Jackson OBE, Chief Executive Working Families Sarah Payne, Chief Executive YWCA
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