More than four million people in the UK are trapped in deep poverty, meaning their income is at least 50 per cent below the official breadline, locking them into a weekly struggle to afford the most basic living essentials, and there has been a dramatic rise in the number of children affected by what is termed persistent poverty.

With these figures, there is no doubt that there is a pressing need for a concerted approach to the problem.

The issue has no doubt become far worse as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but it is time to look again at our approach to our children, and to invest in them as the future of our nation.

By cutting £40bn a year from work and pensions budget through cuts and freezes to tax credits and benefits, the Government appears to have put progress into reverse.

We need our prime minister to get to work immediately on a bold plan to boost living standards and support our towns and cities in building a more hopeful economic future.