GET FAIR campaigners meet Prime Minister

Campaigners from the Campaign to End Child Poverty, part of the GET FAIR coalition, met the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

Campaign chairman Martin Narey and director Hilary Fisher were accompanied by trustees Kate Green, Pauls Ennals and Jasmine Whitbread.

They were invited for talks with Gordon Brown on the morning that 10,000 demonstrators demanded he Keep The Promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020.

Hilary said: “We asked Gordon Brown to hear our plea and he listened.

“He listened because of the strength of feeling End Child Poverty supporters have shown him.

“The rally turnout was just phenomenal. Because of the massive amount of support we had our message has been heard loud and clear.

“Thank you to everyone who backed Keep The Promise.”

The Government will have a legal duty to eradicate child poverty in the UK by 2020, Gordon Brown said following talks with campaigners earlier today.

Speaking in 10 Downing Street following the meeting, Mr Brown said that the fight against child poverty is one of the "great causes of this generation".

“… I am saying that we will in law make it the duty of Government by 2020 to eradicate child poverty in this country.

“While it is a long haul, we want to show step by step how we can achieve that goal.”

The PM said that everyone campaigning for the cause believes that every child is special, precious and unique.

“Every child deserves the support of this generation,” he said.