‘Gordon Brown, Labour MPs, and voters agree: Act on child poverty now’

What do Gordon Brown, 101 Labour MPs, and a majority of voters in 623 constituencies have in common? They all back a new tax on gambling companies, with the money raised being used to lift children out of poverty. 

Nearly 70,000 members of the public have already thrown their weight behind the proposal spearheaded by Gordon Brown, back in the news this week as he made a speech to mark Child Poverty Action Group’s 60th anniversary. The former Chancellor is pushing the current incumbent to use her autumn budget to bring in new taxes for gambling giants, and use the money to scrap the two-child benefit limit. 

On Monday, 38 Degrees, along with MPs Alex Ballinger, Dawn Butler and Beccy Cooper delivered a petition in support of the proposals signed by 69,837 members of the public to Downing Street. 101 Labour MPs have already written to the Chancellor outlining their support for the proposal. And, as we reveal in new constituency level polling we’re publishing today, voters in almost every constituency in Great Britain – from richest to poorest – back a new gambling tax to tackle child poverty. 

READ MORE: ‘Labour must break free from the gambling lobby – and raise taxes’

On 38 Degrees’ behalf, Survation polled over 8546 UK adults aged 18+, and then used Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) to produce constituency level data. We asked whether they would support or oppose a proposal to increase taxes on gambling companies if the money was used to reduce child poverty. And the results were clear. Not only do 64% of the public support the proposal, with just 17% opposing it –  a majority of voters in 98.5% (or 623 out of 632) of Great Britain’s constituencies back it too. 

Digging into the data, a number of findings particularly stood out. 

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

Constituencies where the proposal is supported range from Birmingham Ladywood, which has the highest percentage of children living in poverty (58.8%) and where 51% of voters of support the proposal; to Richmond Park, the constituency with the lowest percentage of children living in poverty in the country (5.1%), where 62% of voters support the proposal. 

Key members of the cabinet’s own constituencies would be amongst those where children could benefit the most from the government scrapping the two child limit – all of whose constituencies enjoy over 50% support for the proposal.

• In Birmingham Ladywood, represented by the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, 58.80% of children live in relative poverty, equating to 20,535 children. 
• Wolverhampton South East, represented by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, sees a high rate of 39.20% poverty, affecting 11,208 children. 
• In the Chancellor’s constituency of Leeds West, 5687 children, or 28.3%, live in relative poverty 
• In the PM’s own seat of Holborn St Pancras, 27.5% of children live in relative poverty, equating to 4127 children. 

 In 187 constituencies, more than two thirds (66.66%) of people support the gambling tax proposal. The constituencies that most strongly back the plan are Ceredigion Preseli (79.52%), Honiton and Sidmouth (76.11%) and Rutland and Stamford (75.69%) New Forest West (75.45%) and Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (75.15%) where over three-quarters of people support the plan. 

Support is even higher amongst older voters, with 75% of those aged 65+ supporting the proposal 

The public backs Rachel Reeves introducing a new gambling tax at the Autumn Budget, with the proceeds being used to lift children out of poverty. So, how can we most quickly and cost effectively lift children out of poverty? The answer is simple – by using the funds raised to undo the Conservative government’s two-child benefit limit. With the country in the grips of a child poverty emergency that Ministers can’t miss on their own doorsteps, a move like this should surely be a no-brainer for a Labour government who say they’re focused on child poverty.  

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

Gordon Brown’s gambling tax proposal is a popular move that’s backed by voters in constituencies the length of the country. The message from voters to Rachel Reeves, Pat McFadden and others is clear – tax gambling companies, end child poverty and give all our kids the start in life that they deserve.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].