Former shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth has issued a powerful plea to Labour's leadership, urging them to place children's welfare at the centre of their upcoming budget plans.
In an impassioned statement ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's second Labour budget next week, Ashworth emphasised that giving every child the best start in life must form the cornerstone of the government's vision for Britain's future.
The Case for Bold Action
Ashworth acknowledged that difficult decisions on taxation are inevitable as Labour works to stabilise public finances and invest in crucial public services. He pointed directly to what he described as years of Conservative austerity, a badly handled Brexit, and the economic chaos unleashed by Liz Truss's brief premiership as factors that have left working families significantly worse off.
The British public is growing impatient for a compelling vision of the country's future, Ashworth warned, with people demanding tangible improvements in affordability, healthcare access, and job opportunities.
Confronting Child Poverty
The former shadow minister highlighted the shocking reality that 4.5 million children now live in poverty across the UK, describing this not merely as statistics but as a real-life ordeal for families in every community.
While welcoming Labour's introduction of free breakfast clubs, Ashworth pushed the government to go further by scrapping the controversial two-child benefit limit, which he previously branded as a heinous policy.
Lifting this restriction would not only help reduce child poverty but would also benefit working families, given that nearly sixty percent of households affected by the cap are in employment.
Broader Policy Priorities
Beyond child welfare, Ashworth addressed several other critical issues facing the government. He reflected on the Covid Inquiry's findings, stating that Boris Johnson should have implemented restrictions sooner during the pandemic and criticising the failure to adequately protect care homes.
The MP also drew attention to the ongoing crisis in Sudan, where he said genocidal atrocities continue with insufficient international attention, while welcoming Labour's efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire.
Ashworth concluded with a powerful declaration that Labour must remain a moral mission above all else, with children's prospects representing the most important investment the country can make in its future.
