Big Issue founder and crossbench peer Lord John Bird has renewed his call for the creation of a new Whitehall department dedicated solely to eradicating poverty in Britain. Speaking to The Mirror, Lord Bird, 79, who was born in a Notting Hill slum, proposed a 'ministry of poverty prevention and cure'.
Lord Bird argued that since the Second World War, no government department has been focused exclusively on eliminating poverty. He described the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as an 'emergency department' rather than one addressing the root causes. 'How can we break the John Anthony Birds of today and tomorrow?' he asked, referring to his own experience of poverty leading to prison.
The peer also reiterated demands for legally binding targets on child poverty, similar to the net zero legislation. He plans to push an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and School Bill in the House of Lords. '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 said.
Lord Bird emphasised that his mission in Parliament is to 'dismantle poverty', not merely to keep the poor comfortable. A government spokeswoman responded by highlighting measures including the national living wage increase and removal of the two-child benefit limit, which is expected to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
