LABOUR general election candidate Chris Altree has said new figures showing a massive increase in Barrow child poverty are directly linked with government austerity cuts.
Data from the Office of National Statistics reveal an average of 27 per cent of Barrow children are living in poverty after housing costs are taken into account.
Central ward has the second highest proportion in Cumbria with more than 41 per cent of children existing below the breadline while in Hindpool ward the figure stands at 40.9 per cent.
Mr Altree slammed the figures, saying: “This truly highlights the rampant inequality families find themselves in, both in Barrow and across Conservative Britain where even our children are bearing the brunt of austerity cuts. These figures are a shameful record of government misrule.
“Furness has a lot to be proud of and we need to use that as a springboard. We have a manufacturing base, new investment and of course our world class shipyard.
“We need to make sure that success helps more vulnerable families out of poverty too, by investing in local services and education rather than cutting them nationally. Money made in the area needs to stay in the area as far as possible so every child and family benefits.
“The UK has the sixth largest economy in the world, however the Tories aren’t interested in lifting children out of poverty, rather providing tax cuts for the richest in our society and letting large foreign companies away with paying hardly anything.”
