Walton MP Steve Rotheram says it's a 'national disgrace' that tens of thousands of children live in poverty on Merseyside

The MP for Walton - Steve Rotheram - has said that it's a 'national disgrace' that tens of thousands of children live in poverty on Merseyside, and that almost 1.1 million people across the country rely food banks.

In a speech at Westminster Hall, Rotheram said that, under the Tories, "living costs have risen, welfare reductions are exacerbating child and family poverty and pernicious policies have had devastating consequences."

Data from the Children’s Society estimates that, in the Liverpool Local Authority area alone, 34% of children are living in poverty - and there are 26,800 children living in families with debt problems.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 46% of individuals living in poor households are in financial debt.

The Labour Metro Mayor candidate also urged the government to pilot a neighbourhood-based employment service across the Liverpool City Region, to compensate for the proposed Job Centre closures,

He said: "The Department for Work and Pensions are closing Job Centres in the Liverpool City Region which will create problems for local people trying their best to find work. It has a habit of shutting down Job Centres and forcing individuals to travel even further to seek help with employment opportunities, which is why I am providing the Government with the opportunity to run a pilot scheme that could help thousands of jobseekers."

“The proposed Job Centre closures are a sign of the contradictory attitude from this Tory Government in relation to the devolution agenda as, on the one hand it says devolution deals and Metro Mayors will help tackle employment issues and the issues facing people who want to work. Yet on the other hand they are consistently creating barriers for those who want to apply for job opportunities. It just doesn’t make sense.”