The Conservatives are talking poverty
November 10th, 2009 by Moussa Haddad Posted in Welfare reform, child poverty, livelihoods, uk poverty
David Cameron’s speech today is clearly designed to show that the Conservative party is serious about poverty. There is an enormous amount in there, and unravelling the themes, the ideology, and the approach behind it all is going to be occupying people like me in the weeks and months ahead.
But my initial response would be, of course, to welcome the Tories’ focus on tackling poverty; and there is much to be encouraged by in what they’re saying. The commitment to eradicating child poverty establishes a powerful cross-party consensus around the importance of poverty reduction. I’m delighted to hear specific mention of a review of the benefits system that focuses on marginal withdrawal rates and making work pay (and, hopefully, security of income at all times) – building on the key insight of the Centre for Social Justice’s powerful, humanising report on social security, Dynamic Benefits.
It is crucial, however, that, if and when these plans become policy reality, the focus is squarely on an enabling state, and not on adding to the punitive elements of the welfare system. There are some worrying hints of a return to the language of the deserving and undeserving poor. Tough talk and more stringent rules for, among others, claimants of sickness benefits and single mothers risk causing serious hardship. It is crucial, too, that talk of the dead hand of the state does not become simply cover for public service cuts; and talk of personal and community responsibility a disingenuous denial of the structural nature of poverty.
On the other hand, if Conservative policy follows the Dynamic Benefits approach, then it could harness public services to break down the structural barriers that prevent vast numbers of people from achieving their potential. For people who care about poverty, politics promises to be interesting – and, just maybe, hopeful – this winter.
UPDATE: Oxfam’s Director of UK Poverty, Kate Wareing said this in the press:
“I am pleased the Conservative party is placing a strong emphasis on reducing poverty. It is crucial, however, that they do not fall into the language of the deserving and undeserving poor. Tough talk and more stringent rules for claimants of sickness benefits, single mothers and others risk causing serious hardship.
“Instead, they should take their lead from the work done by Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, and focus on using public services to break down structural barriers, to enable people to find their own way out of poverty.”
6 Responses to “The Conservatives are talking poverty”
By Sarah on Nov 10, 2009
More meaningless promises from the Conservatives who have far from embraced the idea of equality for all.
The only way in which poverty will be tackled is to ensure everyone has access to non-means tested benefits to ensure the most vulnerable in society get the help they need, just like child benefit, it goes where it is needed. Where it is not needed could be dealt with by income tax, then we could get rid of all the other regressive taxes that hit the poor hardest of all. That really would bring about some social justice for the poorest in our society.
We need more jobs and more council housing and more public services, there is a massive shortage causing people to live in poverty. What we don’t need is the conservatives tinkering with benefits and trying to make out it’s the answer – the answer is simple but no one seems to want to try it – use the income tax system and give people decent well paid jobs in the public service and tax those who earn the most.
By Moussa on Nov 11, 2009
Sarah, I think you make a very interesting point. It could be argued that what the CSJ is trying to do with its welfare proposals is to undo some of the negative consequences of the means-tested approach to poverty reduction of the past 30 years or so. The argument would run something like this: means-tested benefits are great for lifting people from one point to another (e.g. over the poverty line), but they can create barriers (’poverty traps’) that prevent people from rising any further.
You might be interested to look back at a few articles we hosted on the idea of a Citizen’s Income – which is essentially what you’re talking about under a different name. Though it’s certainly not the whole answer, I think it’s fair to say that the CSJ proposals would move the UK’s welfare system some way along the spectrum from means testing to a Citizen’s Income, and that is arguably one of their biggest strengths.
By Josh on Nov 11, 2009
While I think it’s commendable that the Conservatives are taking seriously the issue of poverty – particularly their commitment to support the child poverty bill – they often confuse cause and effect with these issues (for example they talk about drug addiction being a cause of poverty where as I would say that although drug addiction compounds poverty it is often poverty that causes drug addiction). You may be interested in Child Poverty Action Group’s statement on Cameron’s Speech http://www.cpag.org.uk/press/2009/101109.htm
By julian dobson on Nov 11, 2009
I thought David Cameron’s speech was more nuanced than his attack on ‘big government’ at the party conference (but then the audience was very different).
I’ve posted some thoughts on this in the context of tomorrow’s Chain Reaction event: http://bit.ly/31DxiE
By Sarah on Nov 11, 2009
Mousa, Thanks for that, there is some really good stuff on here which I will look through. The links to the Citizens Income look good.
It’s interesting to see that Cameron’s claims that poverty and inequality have got worse are not backed up by Channel 4 fact checker.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/factcheck+labours+poverty+record/3420402
Lots has been done to tackle poverty, but so much more needs to be done. I don’t believe the conservatives will make it better!