By Vivienne Russell
18 August 2010
Promoting social mobility is at the top of the government’s agenda, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said today.
Delivering a speech in
central London, Clegg revealed that he would be personally championing social
mobility policies across Whitehall and chairing a ministerial group on the
issue. His focus will be on the extent to which an individual’s income and
social class is dictated by that of their parents, he said, noting that social
mobility in the UK appeared to have stalled in recent decades.
The odds are stacked against a baby born into poverty and disadvantage, he added: 'When that is the case, we are not just talking about inequality, but what amounts to social segregation.’
But he acknowledged that it would take a long time for changes to take effect.
‘In policy terms, it is like turning the wheel on an oil tanker,’ the deputy prime minister said.
‘Promoting social mobility is a long-term business. And it is precisely for that reason that it is vital to establish now, at the beginning of our time in office, that promoting social mobility is at the top of our social agenda.’
Poverty campaigners, however, were unimpressed. Imran Hussein, head of policy and rights advocacy at the ChildPoverty Action Group, said: ‘Social mobility is a snakes and ladders game with winners and losers. It is not enough to have a few more escape ladders from disadvantaged communities when we need to be ending disadvantage for whole communities. This means targeting entrenched structural problems like Britain’s economic dependency on poverty pay jobs, about which we heard nothing today.’
He added that it was ‘deeply concerning’ that Clegg failed to mention the government’s child poverty targets.
‘He has overlooked the evidence that developed countries with the greatest social mobility are those with the lowest inequality and the lowest child poverty. In a fairer and more equal society for all in which child poverty is a thing of the past, social mobility will always follow.’
The deputy prime minister also confirmed the appointment of former Labour health secretary AlanMilburn as the government’s social mobility czar. Milburn will produce an annual review of the effectiveness of government action to improve social mobility and would be holding the coalition’s ‘feet to the fire’, Clegg said.
In his letter accepting the appointment, Milburn said he would be candid in discharging his function.
‘I see my role as independently reviewing how well government and other institutions are performing against what is inevitably a long-term agenda for social progress – and then reporting openly, with my annual report laid before Parliament to consider.’
Milburn led a review of fair access to the professions for the previous government.
