Save the Children UK appeal is criticised by Tory MPs

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Save the Children UK appeal is criticised by Tory MPs11

Fundraising | Vibeka Mair | 6 Sep 2012

Save the Children’s UK poverty appeal has come under fire in some corners of the press, which allege the campaign is politically-motivated.

Yesterday, Save the Children UK launched an appeal to the UK public for £500,000 in funds to help Britain’s poorest children. The charity says it is its first appeal for the UK and launched a report on child poverty in Britain alongside it.

The report, which revealed hard-hitting statistics on child poverty, was widely reported in the press. However, today, the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph have spoken to Conservative MPs who feel the campaign and report has a political agenda.

The report reveals the hardships faced by children in Britain, including the revelation that "one in eight of the poorest children in the UK go without at least one hot meal a day, and one in ten of the UK's poorest parents have cut back on food for them to make sure their children have enough to eat".

Douglas Carswell, Conservative MP for Clacton, told the Daily Mail that the report was too simplistic: “This report is about the prejudices of the people who work for this charity.

“It doesn’t tell us what really needs to be done about the welfare system.”

Conservative MP Brian Binley told civilsociety.co.uk he had general concerns as Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, had worked for the last Labour government:

“Justin Forsyth is doing very good work with Save the Children,” he said. “But we must be aware of the danger that he was committed to a particular government for a sizeable amount of time.

“We have to be careful that charities are not converting appeals into political agendas.”

In response, Forsyth said: "It is a shame that some critics want to divert attention from the powerful insight our campaign has given into the lives of the very poorest children in Britain today.

"The unusual step we took was to ask children themselves their views. The appeal was based on strong independent polling which told us that some of the poorest families in the UK are struggling without basic essentials like food and heating.

"Save the Children is never party-political - we are a charity - but we do believe it is our responsibility to speak out on behalf of children. We have done this from our founding days when Eglantyne Jebb championed children's rights 90 years ago. The question for our country is whether we can afford to allow the hopes of a generation of children to be wasted.

"This is an urgent issue for all political parties. The UK is one of the richest countries in the world and no child should grow up without daily essentials such as a hot meal, a warm coat or shoes that fit. "

Directory: Save the Children
Who's Who: Justin Forsyth

Place a comment

Chantal
10 Sep 2012

I heard about this report from a respected newspaper columnist who mocked it, drawing special attention to a quote from one child who apparently complained about having to wear unbranded shoes. I was astonished that this would be considered 'hardship' by Save The Children, so I went and read the report myself. I went through it top to bottom, but the closest thing I could find to the columnist's reference was a child saying that their shoes were always falling apart, and they didn't care if they had unbranded shoes as long as they had shoes they could wear.

Shocked at how the columnist spun things; they ought to be ashamed of themselves.

[Reply]

L O'Reilly
10 Sep 2012

I've visited the website a couple of times but I still can't figure out what StC are planning to do with the £500k and how it will make a real difference. Can anyone post a link to this information?

[Reply]

Paul Edwards
Community Development Worker
N/A
7 Sep 2012

This merely shows the embarassment of Tories that, in England, an international charity has to intervene to support children in poverty. Reminds me that Medecin Sans Frontier is banned from workiing with the poor in the US.

[Reply]

Helen Clayton
7 Sep 2012

Barbara:
Manchester children's charity, Wood Street Mission, supported by MEN Media, has stepped in to give new uniforms to 660 children from struggling families.
They would love your help, I am sure.

[Reply]

Matt Goldsmith
7 Sep 2012

Charity does good for children on home soil; everyone up in arms.. I believe I'm missing the point and not understanding why everyone is so anti-StC..

Is it simply the comparison to the situation in Africa?

[Reply]

Gordon Hunter
Director
Lincolnshire Community Foundation
7 Sep 2012

Everyone has a mixed set of motives.
NESTA promotes innovation; Lloyds TSB support the Olympics; Lincolnshire Community Foundation facilitates self-sufficiency through social enterprise; Save the Children combats child poverty.
It all fits our objects: to fulfil a social mission or demonstrate corporate social responsibility whilst, of course, breaking even or better.
The political background is of no consequence whatsoever.
This irrational carping simply demonstrates the immaturity and paranoia of some of our politicians.

[Reply]

Carl Allen
6 Sep 2012

@Carswell ... when charity becomes the only resort and not the last resort, then full speed ahead with campaigning. Should there be an issue with that?

@Binley ... unless you are about disputing the facts, then a wise use of your undoubtedly valuable time would be to take a refreshed look in your own constitutency.

[Reply]

R.W. Joseph
Administrator/Chief Executive
The MacRobert Trust
6 Sep 2012

I was interested to see this Save the Children Appeal take shape, but disappointed to learn that some politicians see this as anything other than what it is - a wake-up call to all political parties. For those of us who look after the operational aspects of large trustss and foundations throughout the UK, we already know that there are cases of extreme poverty and need amongst children in the UK today - you will find it in all the major cities and town and in the country areas. We spend our time providing charitable funding in order to help, but we can only scratch the surface. Government need to address this dometsic issue and quickly. Overseas aid form DFID is fine, but we have poverty in the UK too. I say this to the politicians, get out there and you will see it for yourself. Bravo Save the Children!

[Reply]

PS Siu
Fundraiser
RNS
6 Sep 2012

In reply to Barbara

No specific recommendation, but my suggestion is to find a charity/recipient of your generosity as local as possible; Maybe even contact a local school and see if they have a student hardship fund or something similar that you could consider contributing to?

[Reply]

Carl Allen
6 Sep 2012

Based on the report presented, are the named MP's advocating "Don't Save the Children"?

[Reply]

Barbara Lawton
6 Sep 2012

For every child that may have to go without a hot meal, a warm coat or shoes that fit, there is probably an older person, either approaching retirement or already retired, who would willingly pay for that child to have a warm coat or new pair of shoes.

I would welcome such an opportunity to help, as long as procedures were in place that prevented abuse of the system. I remember struggling to bring up two growing boys, with the costs of school uniforms, etc, but now am in a position to possibly help these children.

Perhaps there is a charity already out there that I don't know about that is matching a child in poverty with an adult with disposable income??

[Reply]

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