Labour's John McDonnell backs homelessness prevention manifesto – video

Labour’s John McDonnell has backed The Big Issue’s Poverty Prevention manifesto, and in a video released today – see below – says that people should become a part of our Activist Army.

The Big Issue recently launched a manifesto aimed at achieving social justice for all. Whilst Brexit dominates this general election campaign, there are many social problems that need addressing – including around poverty, health, social care, education, literacy, housing and pay equality.

We believe that these problems should be prevented from happening in the first place, and have called upon all the political parties to make prevention central to their plans. John McDonnell has said that a Labour government would do just that.

“The Big Issue is right to put poverty prevention at the heart of this general election,” he says. “Fourteen million people in this country are living in poverty. That’s why we’ll work on the basis of that poverty prevention manifesto in everything that we do as we go into government.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn launches the party's manifesto ahead of the 2017 general election.

We have asked for YOU to help us hold our political leaders to account, to challenge MPs to back The Big Issue’s prevention manifesto – a campaign which the Shadow Chancellor has also endorsed.

The Big Issue is right to put poverty prevention at the heart of this general election

“You can help in this campaign by supporting The Big Issue and become part of its Activist Army,” he says. “This is a critical issue facing our country, and we need your support for the Big Issue campaign.”

Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale has also backed The Big Issue’s Poverty Prevention manifesto.

“The one million people living in poverty in Scotland did not choose that life. They have been failed by the UK and Scottish governments,” she says.

“For too long, we have ignored the root causes of poverty. Instead we spend billions on trying to mitigate its serious and long-lasting effects – like lower educational attainment and poorer physical and mental health – through piecemeal policy interventions.

“It is time for our governments to tackle poverty head on. Labour has shown that it’s possible with policies like a £10 living wage to radically change people’s lives and we fully endorse the creation of a top-level task force working across government. No one should have to experience the misery of poverty.”