Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has committed to fighting against rising child poverty figures in his constituency.

A campaign launched by the National Education Union is calling for MPs from across the country to pledge for more to be done to tackle child poverty.

Recent figures show that 4,138 or 26% of Children living in Chesterfield and Staveley are living in poverty with the pandemic being considered a growing factor to this result

Toby said: “The numbers shown by ‘The No Child Left Behind’ is shameful indictment on the last decade of Conservative government. The fact that such a high number living in Chesterfield are living in poverty means that more needs to be done. I am happy to sign the pledge to eradicate child poverty in my constituency and across the country.”

Toby praised local organisation who are working hard to reduce the level of child poverty saying, “I know local charities and organisations in the town are trying to fill the void created by this government’s decade of cuts and neglect. It needs to be the Prime Minister and Ministers to take urgent action – and stop expecting individuals and charities to paper over the cracks in government policy.”

It follows the government’s decision to scrap the £20 uplift in Universal Credit and the rising cost of living in fuel, utilities and food.

The pledge states that:

As a member of Parliament, I pledge to do everything in my power so that no child is left behind in Chesterfield:

· I call for the development of a cross-Government strategy to eradicate the poverty faced by the 4.3 million children currently growing up trapped in poverty.

· I will use my vote and voice in Parliament to try to stop an expected 730,000 more children being plunged into poverty by 2024.

Toby recently wrote to government minister earlier this year to raise the growing problem of child poverty with the Department for Work and Pensions however they have failed to produce a credible comprehensive plan to tackle the issue.