Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has issued a stark warning about Britain's spiralling poverty crisis, declaring that the nation is witnessing a disturbing return to Victorian-era levels of deprivation.
'National Scandal' as Millions Go Hungry
In an impassioned intervention, the ex-Labour leader revealed shocking new data showing over 4 million UK children now live below the poverty line, while food bank usage has skyrocketed by 128% in five years.
'We're seeing destitution on a scale not witnessed since the 19th century,' Brown stated. 'Parents skipping meals to feed their children, pensioners choosing between heating and eating - this isn't just a crisis, it's a moral failure.'
Key Warning Signs:
- 1 in 3 UK children in poverty (highest rate in Western Europe)
- 600% increase in malnutrition hospital admissions since 2010
- Over 1 million emergency food parcels distributed last quarter
Government Response 'Woefully Inadequate'
Brown criticised the Conservative government's approach as 'sticking plasters on gaping wounds', arguing that temporary cost-of-living payments fail to address systemic issues.
The former Chancellor highlighted how:
- Real wages have fallen consistently for 15 years
- Social housing stock remains critically low
- Energy costs continue to cripple household budgets
Call for Emergency Poverty Summit
Brown is demanding an urgent cross-party summit to establish a 'new social contract', proposing:
- Automatic benefits uprating with inflation
- Targeted support for worst-hit regions
- Windfall tax extensions to fund anti-poverty measures
With winter approaching, charities warn the situation could deteriorate further without immediate intervention, potentially creating 'a humanitarian crisis on British soil'.
