WELSH CHILD POVERTY REPORT SHOWS HOW LABOUR HAS GOT IT WRONG - WILLOTT

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 25th Jun 2009

Commenting on today's report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on Child Poverty in Wales, Jenny Willott, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central and member of the Work & pensions Select Committee, said:

"This report is a welcome restart to the debate as it is increasingly clear that Labour have got it wrong on child poverty.

"The risk of children in Wales living in poverty rose last year for the first time since the Tories were in power. In fact we have one of the highest rates of child poverty anywhere in the UK.

"Labour's strategy for eradicating child poverty by 2020 is looking tired, bereft of ideas and defeatist.

"The Lib Dems would instantly cut child poverty by cutting income tax bills for low and middle incomes families by an average of £700 each.

"We would massively expand good quality childcare so that parents are can balance work and family life commitments without missing out years of employment.

"By attaching extra education funds to children from the most deprived backgrounds, we would dramatically improve the chances for our most disadvantage children."