Phantom of poverty looms over UK European elections

Thursday, one of Europe’s poorer countries goes to vote in the first of four European election days. 

Which country was being referred to as poor? Britain of course. 20% of the UK population is living in poverty according to Oxfam UK, with wealth distribution being amongst the most unequal in Europe.  Among the strongly affected groups are 3.8 million children and 2.2 million pensioners.

The British case, which warns the rest of Europe what can happen when social issues are left ignored, is not alone in Europe.  According to the EAPN, 16% the total European population faces the threat of poverty, raising the figure to 79 million Europeans at risk.

The UK’s figures are worse however.  Often assimilated as being part of a richer Europe, the country has had its reputation seriously damaged over the last few months. 

Last April, two of the biggest poverty alleviation charities, Save the Children and Oxfam UK, released statements calling for the desperate need to re-focus the fight against poverty at home.  According to Oxfam data, 13 million people live in poverty in the UK: 1 in 5 of the total population, with the most affected groups being women and the elderly.

The bad news doesn’t stop there for the UK.  Eurostat’s figures from 2008 show that the widest disparities in wealth distribution between regions within a European country was not recorded in new member states in the East, but instead within “old Europe” headed by the UK, France and Belgium.

Poverty tied to a severe social gap could explain Britons’ difficulty at digesting and dealing with the problem first hand.  With one wealthy part of the British population typically living in London not being able to relate with a geographically emarginated poorer part.

According to the EAPN the extent and seriousness of the problem is often not well understood in “developed” countries as the term “poverty” is perceived as so extreme that it could only be applicable to “developing” countries. 

A place where the European Union could step in perhaps?

Answering this question, the EAPN stated that this is exactly what the EU’s role should be.  “The EU must become the promoter of social and sustainable development”, it says, “and the European Parliament must be at the forefront of this change.”

A reason to get excited about the elections perhaps.