Shock that over 28,000 children are living in poverty in Oldham borough

2.51.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Sep 2008

The Liberal Democrats have expressed outrage at statistics released by the Campaign to End Child Poverty which reveal that 28,495 children are living in poverty in Oldham borough.

"Labour came to power promising to lift children out of poverty and it is distressingly clear that they have failed," says Elwyn Watkins, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Oldham, East & Saddleworth.

"It is an absolute shame on our country that we can allow this to happen in the 21st Century, and it is a situation which seems likely to get worse in the current economic climate.

"These are not abstract figures - they have a real and debilitating effect on local people. For example, according to the figures from the Campaign to End Child Poverty, children in poverty are ten times as likely to die suddenly in infancy and four times as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as an adult.

"Labour have failed to get people back to work and they have failed to properly rejuvenate the economy of the North. They do not have enough MPs with real manufacturing experience and it shows in their inability to deal with this issue.

"The Oldham area has always relied heavily on manufacturing and industry and we need to take action now. If we can encourage investment and cut red tape so that small and medium size businesses can grow, more people will have sustainable jobs, and their families' situation will be improved.

Related Links:

End Child Poverty - Health and Poverty Report.

Child poverty chart on the BBC website.