Miss for child poverty target

THERE is not a “snowball’s chance in hell” that the UK will eradicate child poverty by 2020, a government adviser says.

Alan Milburn says it is time to “come clean” and publicly admit the milestone will be missed.

The former Labour health secretary, who now advises ministers on social mobility and improving youngsters’ life chances, said an extra £19 billion would be needed to meet the target.

Mr Milburn is to be chairman of the new Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission.

He told the Commons education select committee yesterday that on current trends, the earliest child poverty will be eradicated is 2027.