Reformist failure

The Independent On Sunday carry a story that once again reveals the failure of palliative political action through reforms to solve social problems .

The health gap between the nation's rich and poor has widened over the past decade, despite millions of pounds of public money spent on tackling health inequalities, according to a parliamentary committee. Britons from lower social classes die younger, smoke more, are more likely to be obese and have higher rates of infant mortality than people from the highest social classes, according to official figures. These health inequalities have widened despite the Government's target to reduce the gap by 10 per cent by 2010. The gap between rich and poor has increased by 11 per cent among women and 4 per cent in men since 1998.