UK in ‘state of denial’ on poverty

LONDON: The United Nations accused the British government on Friday of being in a "state of denial" about a growing rich-poor divide that was being exacerbated by Brexit.

UN poverty and human rights rapporteur Philip Alston’s 12-day fact-finding mission to Britain uncovered a "dramatic decline in the fortunes of the least well off". His report unveiled on Friday concluded that child poverty rates in Britain could be as high as 40 percent. Alston said one in five Britons was living below the poverty line as defined by the British government -- and that 90 percent of single poor parents were women. "It’s grim and it’s clearly unnecessary," Alston told AFP.

"The money is there. The government decided recently to spend a windfall amount on more tax cuts for the wealthy. "That money could have made a huge difference on the situation of people living in poverty." Britain has struggled through a painful decade of austerity that began in the wake of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.