Öpik pledges support to end child poverty

11.45.41am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Apr 2009

Lembit Öpik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, has shown his support for helping the UK's poorest children in this year's Budget, at an event for the Campaign to End Child Poverty, in Westminster.

MPs came together to demonstrate their concern for the one in three children in the UK who are living in poverty, and to send a message that more should be done to help them.

The Campaign is calling on the Government to invest at least £3 billion in the poorest families in this Budget, to give the government a chance of meeting their 2010 target.

Commenting on the campaign, Lembit said:

"Too many children in this country are growing up without enough money for a nutritious diet or a warm home. We need everyone in Westminster to commit to ending this tragedy.

"Recent research shows that the poorest are suffering the most from the financial crisis. Nearly half of the poorest parents have cut back on food and heating, around half are suffering sleepless nights and 40% are suffering from depression.

"The Government must take action to improve the lives of the 3.9 million children that are living in poverty in the UK."

Save the Children has also argued that investing in the poorest families is the best way to help the economy, because poorer people are more likely to spend any extra money they receive.

Ends/diwedd

Notes to editor:

For information or interviews in the UK call Save the Children's media unit on 020 7 012 6841 / +44 7831 650 409 (24-hour line) or email media@savethechildren.org.uk

For more information about End Child Poverty please contact Chloë Bryan-Brown 020 7278 3405, media@ecpc.org.uk.

Please find attached a photograph of Mr Öpik in front of a backdrop showing the Campaign to End Child Poverty's Keep the Promise rally in Trafalgar Square in October. 10,000 people turned out to urge the government not to forget its promise of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020.

Save the Children the world's independent children's charity. We're outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We're working flat out to get every child their rights and we're determined to make further, faster changes. How many? How fast? It's up to you. For further information about our work please visit www.savethechildren.org.uk

End Child Poverty is a coalition of over 150 member organisations representing children's charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions and others, concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK.