Five years ago this week a speech made by the Prime Minister changed all that. His pledge to eradicate child poverty within a generation turned the spotlight on Government attempts to reverse the trends of the previous 30 years, during which child poverty had risen dramatically.
The Prime Minister's commitment changed the political debate. Politicians had previously uttered the word poverty reluctantly; now MPs of all political persuasions fall over themselves to declare theirs to be the "Party of the Poor".
The past five years have seen genuine progress towards the ultimate 20-year goal. Increases to benefits for children, new tax credits and a national minimum wage, welfare-to-work and Sure Start have all contributed to help many children out of poverty.
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