‘Worried’ Gordon Brown calls for Universal Credit rethink in warning to government about millions of children in poverty
Gordon Brown has called on the government to carry out a “root and branch” review of Universal Credit amid growing poverty in the UK.
The former Labour prime minister told Sky News he was seeing a level of poverty “I never thought I would see in my lifetime again”, and it was the government’s “duty” to tackle it for people across the country.
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Speaking to Kay Burley, he said: “I grew up in a mining town, which is a textile town producing linoleum, with lots of slum housing, lots of real problems. And I thought that kind of poverty had gone.
“But it’s back now and you’ve got a million children last night who were not sleeping in a bed of their own… two million families that don’t have cookers and washing machines, and they can’t actually fend for the children the way they want to do.
“Kids are not cleaning their teeth because they can’t afford the toothpaste. And the soap is not being bought because it falls off the end of the off the shop when you have to buy the food and the food is costing more.”
Mr Brown, who is involved in creating so-called “multi-banks” – similar to foodbanks, but also offering bedding, furniture and hygiene products – said 2024 would be “a bigger test for us” than previous years to help those in need, adding: “I think we’ve got to do far more.”
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‘What can I do if I don’t have money?’
‘Far more children in poverty’
Asked by Kay Burley if the increase in poverty was down to the political choices of the current Conservative government, the former prime minister said: “Well, undoubtedly, Universal Credit needs to be looked at. I mean, it’s not working.
“The truth is that there are so many aspects of it that are problematical that there needs to be root and branch review of Universal Credit.
“The single person’s Universal Credit [payment] is a lower share of average earnings than at any point since the social security system started.
“So the government has got a responsibility and we’ve got to look at it.”
He added: “I am really worried about the state of poverty in Britain at the moment. And I really want people to focus on it because you don’t hear any government minister ever talking about poverty or about Universal Credit and how it needs to be reformed.
“It’s their duty to do something about it because in their midst and under their watch, far more children – more than four million children in this country – are in poverty.”
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‘They just can’t afford to keep their children’
Mr Brown also appealed for more businesses, big and small, to get involved in multi-banks, joining the likes of Amazon in providing goods for those in need.
Talking about a centre a charity runs in Wigan, he said: “On the first day it started, a father came in with his six-year-old son and said, ‘I can no longer afford to keep him’ and walked out. And the son was in absolute floods of tears – he was being deserted by his own father.
“And this is something that is going on at the moment.”
Mr Brown said that “neglect or domestic violence” were often not the reasons families are putting children into care in these circumstances.
“It’s because they just can’t afford to keep the children,” he added.
“And that’s something that we really should do something about because the cost of keeping a child in care is so high, but also it’s so unfair that that kid was being deserted by his father simply because his father didn’t have enough money.”
Sky News has contacted the Department for Work and Pensions for a response.
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other
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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play
Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.
But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.
The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.
Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.
Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”
This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.
England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.
Pic: Reuters
But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.
There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.
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England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw
“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”
Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.
“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.
There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.
“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”
But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.
More on this story:
What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?
How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?
Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.
Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.
And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.
The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.
This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.
It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.
But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.
The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.
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