Blair launches new drive to tackle poverty

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Ian Morgan

Tony Blair will insist today that Labour has reduced the gap between rich and poor since 1997 as he launches a fresh drive to lift the most deprived out of poverty.

The Prime Minister will use a Downing Street press conference to reject recent suggestions that society is breaking down.

His comments follow a report by Unicef suggesting that Britain is one of the worst developed countries for children to grow up in and a recent spate of shootings of teenagers in south London.

Tory leader David Cameron suggested that family breakdown was behind many of the incidents as he warned that society was in "deep trouble".

But Mr Blair will hit back today, arguing that his decade in Downing Street has seen wealth inequalities decline after a report by the Cabinet Office's Social Exclusion Task Force.

The Prime Minister's introductory remarks to his monthly joust with Westminster journalists will be seen as an attempt to underline his achievements during his final months in office.

It will also divert reporters' attentions, momentarily, from more controversial issues such as Britain's military commitments and the long-running cash-for-honours inquiry.

The social exclusion report will say that the poorest 20% have seen their incomes increase faster than the wealthiest 20% since Labour came to power.

But he will say that the Government must now redouble its efforts in targeting support at the poorest 2.5%.

His comments will follow the publication of a report, which will say the incomes of the poorest fifth of society have increased by 2.6% since Labour came to power.

The richest fifth have seen their incomes rise by only 2.1% in the same period, the report will say.

It will also suggest that 1.6 million children have been saved from poverty by Government tax and benefits initiatives.

Some 800,000 children have been lifted out of "relative poverty" in the last decade, while another 800,000 would have slid into poverty without Labour's support, the report will say.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Under this Government the poorest 20% have seen their incomes grow faster than the richest 20%.

"This is in stark contrast to the Government's record from 1979 to 1997 which saw the income of the wealthiest groups grow at three times the rate of the poorest.

"This remarkable progress is the untold story of this Government."

Mr Blair's preamble is likely to be followed by questions about Britain's role in Iraq and Afghanistan following significant changes to deployments in both war-ravaged countries.

The Prime Minister announced last week that Britain is to withdraw about 1,600 troops from Iraq, leading to speculation of a rift with Washington after the US recently increased troop numbers in Baghdad.

Yesterday Defence Secretary Des Browne announced a move to increase numbers in Afghanistan by about 1,400 - effectively maintaining the pressure on the military.

Mr Blair will also be questioned about his strategy for tackling Iran, whose stand-off with the West has intensified in recent days as it has refused to stop enriching uranium.

There are concerns that the US is gearing up for a military strike against the Islamic republic although the Prime Minister has committed himself to diplomatic measures.

Mr Blair is also likely to be questioned about Scotland Yard's long-running cash-for-honours inquiry.

It emerged last week that his close aide Ruth Turner had been interviewed by Metropolitan Police detectives for a third time.