Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has criticised the governments record on child poverty after a recent report revealed that the number of children living in low income households now stands at 2.1 million, the highest it has ever been.

This figure has increased by half a million since 2003/04 with a significant proportion of the increase predating the economic downturn and recession. After the 2009 Budget independent analysis suggests the government will miss their interim target of halving child poverty before the end of 2010/11 by 600,000 children.

Commenting, Alistair Carmichael said:

“This report is just the latest example of government’s failure in addressing child poverty. The report makes clear that the government were way behind their targets even before the recent economic downturn forced more families into hardship.

“The report also shows that the number of people unemployed or otherwise wanting work is the highest since 1997 and the unemployment rate among 16 to 24 year olds is now higher than at any point since these yearly reports started back in 1993.

“Earlier this year the government announced its ‘Child Poverty Bill’, yet the number of children living in deprivation has increased for three years in a row. If this government was truly serious about tackling child poverty it should have reformed our grossly unfair tax system. Instead they have chosen to continue protecting the tax perks and loop holes of the highest earners.”

· ‘Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2009’ was published earlier this month by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and New Policy Institute.