Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-17-Speech-2-172"
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"en.20080617.35.2-172"2
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"Mr President, I voted in favour of this report because, having worked for 18 years combating poverty and social exclusion, I strongly support the designation of 2010 as a European Year on this issue. It is totally unacceptable that 78 million people in Europe are currently living at risk of poverty. It is shocking that in this day and age children and the elderly are unable to feed themselves or keep themselves warm across many Member States. Recent figures show a widening gap between the richest and poorest families in some countries as a result of the unequal distribution of European economic progress.
I hope that in this year the Commission will focus on regions where poverty and social exclusion are at their most acute. For example, a recent report by Channel 4 in the UK highlighted that the region I represent, the West Midlands, has the second-highest level of poverty and the second-lowest standard of living nationwide.
Therefore, whilst I welcome this initiative because it will raise awareness of poverty and social exclusion, I am disappointed that it does not offer any clear solutions on the directions that Member States need to take and I believe that unless this year is used as platform to move forward, it will be just another talking shop, a missed opportunity to actually make a difference on a very important issue."@en1
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