We shouldn’t have to rely on Stormzy to flag up deprivation and neglect | Kimberly McIntosh

With estimates that half of ethnic-minority children live in poverty, Theresa May must act on her pledge to tackle inequality

When Stormzy spoke out at the Brits against Theresa May’s response to Grenfell, it wasn’t just about the disgraceful response to the fire. It was also a reflection of the reality facing people growing up on neglected estates. He has spoken before about his experience of poverty in his childhood, and his struggle to stay on the right track.

Stormzy’s black Britishness is a factor here for, as he vented his frustration, he again highlighted the enduring fact that issues impacting ethnic minorities are rarely prioritised. He gave urgency to the question so many continue to ask: had the Grenfell tragedy occurred in Gloucestershire, were child poverty endemic in Cambridge instead of Tower Hamlets, would we not see a stronger response from the government?

We need a strategy that outlines clearly how the poverty and inequality faced by ethnic minorities will be tackled

The main poverty indicator used in the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's study is the number of households that have income levels of less than 60% of median income. Using the same measure, the UK was ranked 22nd out of 35 in an international league table of child poverty rates in rich nations put together by Unicef in 2012.

Related: Poverty sets children up for a life of disadvantage. Let's tackle it in 2018 | Alison Michalska

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2EShHPu