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Tories claim 'big change' on poor | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
David Cameron claims there has been a "big change" in the way the Conservatives think about poverty. | |
In a speech to mark 25 years since the Scarman Report into the Brixton riots, the Tory leader argued poverty is not only "absolute" but "relative". | |
It was not just "material deprivation," but the fact that some people "lacked things others took for granted". | |
Labour said Mr Cameron was trying to erase the memory of child poverty under Conservative rule. | Labour said Mr Cameron was trying to erase the memory of child poverty under Conservative rule. |
Deprivation | Deprivation |
In his speech, Mr Cameron said: "I believe that poverty is an economic waste, a moral disgrace. | |
"In the past we used to think of poverty in absolute terms - meaning straightforward material deprivation. | "In the past we used to think of poverty in absolute terms - meaning straightforward material deprivation. |
Stop treating it as an issue for government, start treating as an issue for society David CameronConservative leader | |
"That's not enough. We need to think of poverty in relative terms - the fact that some people lack those things which others in society take for granted. | "That's not enough. We need to think of poverty in relative terms - the fact that some people lack those things which others in society take for granted. |
"So I want this message to go out loud and clear - the Conservative Party recognises, will measure and will act on relative poverty." | "So I want this message to go out loud and clear - the Conservative Party recognises, will measure and will act on relative poverty." |
Mr Cameron is attempting to rid the Conservative Party of its "nasty party" image by adopting a more conciliatory tone on social issues. | |
He told BBC Breakfast: "I think there is a big change in the way that we think about poverty. Stop treating it as an issue for government, start treating as an issue for society." | |
But he ruled out capping high salaries and big City bonuses as way of tackling the inequality gap. | |
He said he did not believe "we'll make the country happier by capping the salary of David Beckham". | |
'Redistribution' | |
If the government intervened by capping salaries, businesses would move to European centres instead, he said. | |
He said there had to be "an element of redistribution" in economic policy, but the causes of poverty, such as mental health problems and drug addiction, also needed to be addressed. | |
He suggested that voluntary groups and social enterprises were very experienced in helping with such issues and should be encouraged to take a greater role. | |
"They are sometimes the ones that do best in tackling homelessness, drug addiction, debt. | |
Social exclusion | Social exclusion |
Mr Cameron's comments follow a call from a key Tory policy adviser for the party to ditch Winston Churchill's attitude to poverty in favour of Guardian commentator Polly Toynbee's ideas. | |
Ms Toynbee has written extensively on the social exclusion experienced by some in society. | Ms Toynbee has written extensively on the social exclusion experienced by some in society. |
Mr Clark told the Guardian the Tories should move away from just offering a safety net for those in "absolute" poverty. | Mr Clark told the Guardian the Tories should move away from just offering a safety net for those in "absolute" poverty. |
They should also tackle "relative" poverty - people who were not in material need but who were too poor to participate fully in mainstream society, he said. | They should also tackle "relative" poverty - people who were not in material need but who were too poor to participate fully in mainstream society, he said. |
He said that earlier Conservative governments had made a "terrible mistake" by ignoring an "alarming" increase in relative poverty, contributing to an "atmosphere of anger and mistrust". | He said that earlier Conservative governments had made a "terrible mistake" by ignoring an "alarming" increase in relative poverty, contributing to an "atmosphere of anger and mistrust". |
Mr Clark is a member of the party's social justice policy group, headed by former leader Iain Duncan Smith, which is due to report to Mr Cameron next month. | Mr Clark is a member of the party's social justice policy group, headed by former leader Iain Duncan Smith, which is due to report to Mr Cameron next month. |