MP backs plans to tackle poverty in Cumbria at Lib Dem Spring Conference

At Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in York last weekend, Westmorland MP Tim Farron supported new proposals to tackle poverty in Cumbria and across the country.

The party voted to campaign for a Guaranteed Basic Income, by increasing Universal Credit to the level required to end deep poverty within the decade and removing sanctions.

The measures also include immediately restoring the £20 uplift to Universal Credit, and devolving spending and power to local and regional government to address regional inequalities.

It comes as new research conducted by polling company Survation found that in Tim's Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency:

• 24% of people couldn't afford to turn the heating on when cold in the past month.
• 15% missed a rent payment in the last six months.
• 18% are worried about having to use a food bank in the next year.
• 31% of peoples' mental health has worsened due to the cost of living crisis.

Speaking during the debate at Lib Dem Spring Conference, Tim said: "Poverty robs us of our liberty, it robs us of our dignity, of our physical and mental health. Poverty breaks families, it breaks our spirit.

"A sign of having brilliant parents is that you don't realise you grew up in poverty, until you've grown up - and I had brilliant parents.

"So this motion and defeating poverty is not academic to me, it is utterly, utterly personal. As it is today for thousands of people in my communities in Cumbria from Ambleside to Appleby, from Askham to Arnside.

"So I want our party to pass policy that will lift people out of poverty, is fair, will add up and will help us win elections so that we can defeat poverty."