Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Tories offer to back the poor and minorities

Marie Woolf Chief Political Correspondent
Tuesday 16 September 2003 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Iain Duncan Smith accused Tony Blair yesterday of neglecting the poor and creating a more "unequal" society than under Margaret Thatcher or John Major.

The leader of the Conservative Party spoke of shattering Labour's "monopoly on compassion" and used New Labour rhetoric to illustrate his point. He was speaking at a two-day conference in Millbank Tower, the site of Labour's old headquarters in Westminster.

He announced plans to move in on Labour's territory in low-income areas and said Labour was failing to help the one million children living in "severe and persistent poverty. They're the challenges of the many, not the few," he said. "We live in a world where poverty challenges our moral conscience and our security."

He added: "Britain's left-behind communities are often thought of as Labour's ... heartlands. But there's little heart in the way Labour neglects and forgets these communities."

His attempt to reposition the Conservatives as the party concerned for low-income families and ethnic minorities will receive a setback this week in the Brent East by-election - an area in London where 50 per cent of people are from the ethnic minorities and have low incomes.

The Tories are likely to be driven into third place by the Liberal Democrats, who may win the seat from Labour.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in