PMQ: Child Poverty Takes Center Stage

The PMQ this week focused largely on the issue of child poverty in the UK. Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer, brought attention to information from last week’s report by the Social Mobility Commission. The report states that nearly 600,000 more children are living in relative poverty than in 2012, and that, compounded by the effects of Coronavirus and Conservative leadership, the number could pass 5 million by 2022. Starmer asked Johnson what he thought caused this issue. The Prime Minister refrained from giving a clear answer, rather alluding to various schemes in place. In response, Starmer stated that the factors causing this increase in child poverty are not “beyond our control” and that the government should take a more active role in addressing this major issue. 

The PMQ then moved into questions from Ian Blackford, the Leader of the SNP in the House of Commons, and other MPs from around the nation.