Leading charities call for a Fairness Test when tackling the deficit

Submitted by Kathryn Busby on 26 April 2010

A coalition of charities, including The Equality Trust, Child Poverty Action Group, Barnardo's and the TUC are asking the three main party leaders to commit to a Fairness Test on any tax rises or spending cuts they would introduce in government.

The Fairness Test would be developed by the Treasury, and would ensure that decisions taken to reduce the deficit do not unfairly impact on the poorest in society.

Download the letters sent to each party leader:
David Cameron
Gordon Brown
Nick Clegg

Press release
Download PDF

Guardian article
The rich, not the poor, must shoulder the burden of national debt

Left Foot Forward article
Policies must be subjected to a “fairness test”

The full list of signatories:

Shan Nicholas, Interim Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group
Martin Narey, Chief Executive, Barnardo's
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC
Professors Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, Universities of Nottingham and York, co-founders of The Equality Trust
Fergus Drake, UK Programmes Director, Save the Children
Helen Dent, Chief Executive, Family Action
Geraldine Blake, Chief Executive, Community Links
Malcolm Clark, Director, One Society
Dr Ute Navidi, Chief Executive, London Play
Fiona Weir, Chief Executive, Gingerbread
Niall Cooper, Chief Executive, Church Action on Poverty
Professor Ruth Lister, Professor of Social Policy, Loughborough University
Professor Diane Elson, Chair, Women's Budget Group