Class war on children

 The renown political journalist, John Pilger, has published an article drawing attention to his latest documentary focused upon Britain's impoverished children and in it he recognises that the key factor is class.

Pilger first reported on child poverty in Britain in 1975.

"...What has changed 45 years later?  At least one member of an impoverished family is likely to have a job — a job that denies them a living wage. Incredibly, although poverty is more disguised, countless British children still go to bed hungry and are ruthlessly denied opportunities..

What has not changed is that poverty is the result of a disease that is still virulent yet rarely spoken about – class.

Study after study shows that the people who suffer and die early from the diseases of poverty brought on by a poor diet, sub-standard housing and the priorities of the political elite and its hostile “welfare” officials — are working people. In 2020, one in three preschool British children suffers like this..."

Pilger points out that:

  "...the Children’s Commissioner has confirmed more than 600,000 children have fallen into poverty since 2012; the total is expected to exceed 5 million. This, few dare say, is a class war on children..."

Pilger concludes his article by saying:

"...the prime minister and his “elite” showed where their priorities lay. In the face of the greatest health crisis in living memory when Britain has the highest Covid-19 death toll in Europe and poverty is accelerating as the result of a punitive “austerity” policy, he announced £16.5 billion for “defence”. This makes Britain, whose military bases cover the world, the highest military spender in Europe. 

And the enemy? The real one is poverty and those who impose it and perpetuate it."

John Pilger: Britain’s Class War on Children – Consortiumnews