Poverty Zero Campaign

I am deeply concerned about widening inequality and the rising levels of destitution across the UK, including here in Cornwall. It is heartbreaking to see families struggling to afford food, heating, and other basic needs. This has increased in the last decade. The test of a civilised society is the way in which it cares for those unable to care for themselves and how it helps those in need to fulfil their potential. On this basis, our country has become much less civilised.  

The social security system in our country is not working as it should. It is unacceptable that 3.8 million people in our country are living in destitution. The fact that this number has more than doubled in the last decade is a damning indictment of Conservative government failure, and the recently announced cuts in disability support will only worsen this situation. In Cornwall, poverty is worsened by high living costs, lack of affordable housing, and the lowest wages in the UK.  

I support legally binding targets to reduce poverty, just as we have for carbon emissions. Tackling destitution should be a national priority, with a clear strategy and accountability for results. 

My Liberal Democrat parliamentary colleagues and I have long campaigned for stronger social safety nets, fairer wages, and better support for struggling households. We would tackle child poverty by removing the two-child limit and benefits cap, set a target of ending deep poverty within a decade, and repair the broken benefits safety net through measures such as scrapping the bedroom tax (a campaign I led the last time I was in Parliament) and reducing the wait for the first payment of Universal Credit from five weeks to five days. 

I support the Poverty Zero campaign and the Big Issue’s End Poverty Champions initiative. I will continue to speak up in Parliament for those experiencing hardship.