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Alan Milburn: Parties must do better on social mobility Alan Milburn: Parties must do better on social mobility
(35 minutes later)
The government will fail to meet its child poverty reduction targets by 2020, according to a new report.The government will fail to meet its child poverty reduction targets by 2020, according to a new report.
Alan Milburn, chairman of the social mobility and child poverty commission, said it was "inconceivable" that the targets would be met.Alan Milburn, chairman of the social mobility and child poverty commission, said it was "inconceivable" that the targets would be met.
He also accused the three largest political parties of being "less than frank" on the issue.He also accused the three largest political parties of being "less than frank" on the issue.
The conclusions will be presented in the commission's second annual State of the Nation report.The conclusions will be presented in the commission's second annual State of the Nation report.
The report claims the policies promised by the three largest Westminster parties will not succeed in reducing child poverty by half by 2020.The report claims the policies promised by the three largest Westminster parties will not succeed in reducing child poverty by half by 2020.
'Unholy mess''Unholy mess'
Mr Milburn, a former Labour minister, said the current government had "discredited existing child poverty targets and failed to put in place new ones", creating an "unholy mess".Mr Milburn, a former Labour minister, said the current government had "discredited existing child poverty targets and failed to put in place new ones", creating an "unholy mess".
The existing targets were put in place in 2010 by the last Labour government.The existing targets were put in place in 2010 by the last Labour government.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he also said that what was needed in government was a "more rounded sense of what makes people poor". He told BBC Breakfast the risk is that young people today "simply do not have the opportunity to progress".
And speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he also said that what was needed in government was a "more rounded sense of what makes people poor".
He added: "What every political party needs to do is reconcile very good social ends and fiscal and other policies they want to pursue.He added: "What every political party needs to do is reconcile very good social ends and fiscal and other policies they want to pursue.
"It is no good willing the ends and not willing the means.""It is no good willing the ends and not willing the means."
The report will include wide-ranging recommendations for a number of government departments to help increase social mobility. The report will include wide-ranging recommendations for a number of government departments to help increase social mobility, such as providing many more apprenticeships and further education colleges. It will also suggest measures to end youth unemployment by 2020.
He said the aim of government policies should be to get people "from welfare to work and then from low-pay to living-pay". Mr Milburn said the aim of government policies should be to get people "from welfare to work and then from low-pay to living-pay".
The report will claim that five million people currently earn less than a living wage.The report will claim that five million people currently earn less than a living wage.
Mr Milburn said that Labour's promise to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2020 was a "good step forward", but "not as ambitious as one would hope it would be". He said that Labour's promise to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2020 was a "good step forward", but "not as ambitious as one would hope it would be", adding that if the "historic trend" in minimum wage rises had continued since 2008, the rate would be £8.23 an hour by 2020.
He said that if the "historic trend" in minimum wage rises had continued since 2008, the rate would be £8.23 an hour by 2020.
And he criticised Chancellor George Osborne for promising to freeze working-age benefits for 2 years, saying this would have a negative impact on the "working poor".And he criticised Chancellor George Osborne for promising to freeze working-age benefits for 2 years, saying this would have a negative impact on the "working poor".