In Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, child poverty has stalked our streets for decades.

Over the last 15 years it has become significantly worse, first as a result of austerity, then the loss of EU funding following Brexit, then the pandemic, followed by the disastrous Liz Truss budget which exacerbated the cost-of-living crisis and then the war in Ukraine which meant big increases in fuel bills.

For many years, with one voice, child poverty campaigners and charities have been highlighting that the single most effective way to reduce child poverty was to remove the two-child benefit cap. Last week, at the despatch box, the UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, finally despatched a policy first introduced eight years ago by the Conservatives. For us it was a momentous moment.

As a direct result of the scrapping of the cap, it is estimated that in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle alone, a staggering 2,210 child will be lifted out of poverty. Since the announcement there has been a predictable reaction by some against its scrapping. The lazy view that everyone on welfare is work shy flies in the face of the facts – almost 40 per cent of people on universal credit are in a working household. This is actually the sign of a dysfunctional labour market.

Over the last 14 years before 2024, wages simply haven’t kept pace with inflation which is part of the reason why some families need social security simply to provide the basics. It is also why, in consecutive budgets since becoming Chancellor, Rachel Reeves has increased the minimum wage. But as well as the moral argument to scrap the cap, there are equally sound social and economic arguments.

Children in poverty achieve a lower educational attainment, are much more likely to fall foul of the law and have worse health outcomes – all of which put greater strain on public services and the local economy. But this policy was not a one-off kneejerk.

When you consider the cap removal, alongside support for childcare, rollout of breakfast clubs, massive increase in free school meals, legislation to limit the cost of school uniforms, investment going into our brilliant FE colleges, the new Youth Guarantee and free apprenticeships for 18 to 24 year olds, you begin to see a golden thread, from cradle to career, for kids from some of our poorest backgrounds. This is what social mobility looks like in reality. When we said before the election that we would ‘break down barriers to opportunity at every level’, we meant it.

Why shouldn’t all children have a fair chance to build a good career by getting a decent education and skills that will last them a lifetime? And goodness knows, with the exodus of young talent leaving Cornwall and indeed the UK, we need them to succeed.

Economic regeneration cannot be built on the backs of a geriatric workforce. In Cornwall we need construction workers, electricians, welders, care workers and nurses. You’ll not hear one word of apology from me for taking the steps necessary to give these kids a fighting chance.