Lord John Bird, the founder of The Big Issue, has declared that his core mission in Parliament is to "dismantle poverty" and is renewing urgent calls for the creation of a new government ministry dedicated solely to that goal.
A Lifelong Mission Born From Experience
In an exclusive interview, the 79-year-old crossbench peer, who was born in a Notting Hill slum, argued that Britain has lacked a department focused on poverty eradication since the creation of the welfare state after the Second World War. He proposes a "ministry of poverty prevention and cure" to fundamentally change the government's approach.
Lord Bird was sharply critical of the current system, describing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as functioning like an "emergency department" rather than a proactive force for change. He explained that a dedicated ministry would ask crucial questions about breaking the cycle of deprivation.
"How can we prevent the inheritance of poverty?" he asked. "How can we get rid of all these people that through poverty end up in the prison system? A lot of them are there because of poverty."
Demanding Concrete, Legal Targets on Child Poverty
The peer, who founded The Big Issue with Gordon Roddick in 1991, also reiterated his demand for the government to adopt concrete, legally binding targets to reduce child poverty. This push comes despite the government publishing a major child poverty strategy in December, which outlined a blueprint to lift over 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
Key measures in that strategy include expanding free school meals and scrapping the controversial two-child benefit limit. An £8 million emergency fund will also aim to stop the unlawful placement of families in Bed and Breakfast accommodation beyond the six-week legal limit.
However, Lord Bird insists these steps are not enough. He wants targets enshrined in law, similar to the government's net zero duties. "We've done it already - but we're going to have another go," he said, confirming he will push an amendment on the issue via the Children's Wellbeing and School Bill in the House of Lords in the New Year.
Measuring Success and a Personal Crusade
He described these proposed targets as "KPIs - Key Performance Indicators" to mark the government's homework, allowing the public to hold ministers properly accountable. "It passes over to you and me the chance to say how well is this government doing - rather than relying on chit-chat on breakfast TV," he added.
Pressed on whether this was a personal mission, Lord Bird pointed directly to his maiden speech in Parliament. "I was very, very clear: I am here to dismantle poverty. I'm not here to keep the poor comfortable," he stated. "I'm not here to postpone our children ever getting the quality of life because they have been born into poverty."
He acknowledged the need to fight for concessions for the poorest in society, framing it as essential work to prevent their quality of life from deteriorating further.
In response, a government spokeswoman highlighted existing actions, stating: "This Government is tackling the cost of living and poverty head on." She cited the increase in the national living wage, energy bill support, and the package aimed at helping 550,000 children. She added that the government is "tackling poverty at the root cause" alongside major employment reforms to boost living standards.
