Rushanara Ali MP has expressed concerns at the alarmingly high child poverty figures for London released this week. The child poverty rate in Bethnal Green and Bow is now almost 60% (59.6%), the highest in the country.

Rushanara Ali MP said:

“There is a clear and urgent need for the Government to set out an ambitious and comprehensive plan to end child poverty. We know that child poverty can be tackled by policy interventions that increase and secure household incomes. I pay tribute to the over 30 foodbanks in my constituency that are supporting families. However, without urgent Government support to families hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, the situation continues to be intolerable. 
 
If this Government wanted to end child poverty, it could, but chooses not to. It's time the Government’s recovery plan put children’s lives and ending child poverty at the centre of its priorities instead of punishing children and being in denial about the scale of poverty in our country.” 
 
For more information on the new figures, please visit the End Child Poverty Coalition website here - https://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/