Debates between Ian Lavery and David Crausby during the 2010-2015 Parliament

Wed 4th Feb 2015

UK Poverty

Debate between Ian Lavery and David Crausby
Wednesday 4th February 2015

(9 years, 9 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Ian Lavery Portrait Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)
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Thank you for your extreme flexibility, Mr Crausby.

We live in a different world here in Westminster. People in the rest of the country live in a broken society. Children are suffering because of poverty. Disabled people are suffering because of poverty and the introduction of the bedroom tax. Mentally ill people are suffering greatly because of the situation in this country. Single parents are being singled out because of the situation that the Government have imposed on them. Old people are suffering because of poverty; many of them are huddling together because they cannot even afford to put money in the electricity meter or food on the table.

We live in a broken society. Poverty is preventable. Poverty is a political choice. It brings shame on the Government and on politicians to allow poverty to continue as we are experiencing it here in food bank Britain. People in work cannot afford to put food on the table—