Is Great Britain Still Great? Nation Grapples With Deepening Poverty Crisis

Two centuries ago, the British Empire ruled the lands, the seas, and a quarter of all people on Earth. The influence of the once-dominant United Kingdom has significantly shrunk, and in 2022, its former colony, India, surpassed it to become the world's fifth-largest economy.

The 21st century has been a rather tough time for the UK, starting with a monetary crisis in 2008, which exposed some underlying economic weaknesses, and then the cutting of long-lasting relations with its most significant trade partner, the EU, after the Brexit vote in 2016.

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The decision to leave the European Union in 2020 not only caused the UK's economy to suffer but also stirred up internal divisions, especially in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where independence movements gained momentum. 

The Covid-19 pandemic made the problems even worse, thus contributing to the mess. The damage done in terms of the death tolls and economic recessions was, among the developed countries, one of the worst.

One thing that stands out from these circumstances and hardships is that Britain used to be a superpower but now is just a middle-sized power that is trying to adjust to its reduced importance in the global community.

Will Hutton who is an Observer columnist, writes in The Guardian, "2 million British people report going without food for at least a day in any month.Malnutrition stalks children - Britain's five-year-olds are among the shortest in Europe. One in three children live in poverty. It is time to stop talking and thinking of Britain as a rich country. We are poor and living on the edge."

"Britain has to start thinking of itself not as a rich industrial country but as a poor country facing first-order economic development challenges. Large parts of the UK are scarcely better off than middle-income developing countries, and on current trends are about to get poorer."

UK Poverty Soars to 30-Year High

The UK's absolute poverty increased at its fastest rate in thirty years due to the energy price problem.

According to UNICEF and Child Poverty Action Group, in 2022/23, the UK government estimated that 4.3 million children, or 30% of all children in the country, were living in relative low-income households after housing costs. This is an increase of 100,000 from the previous year, and 700,000 since 2010. 

The government attributes the rise to high inflation caused by the war in Ukraine and supply chain issues. They also say that falling inflation, rising real wages, and higher benefits will help low-income households in the future.

Over the past few weeks, severe violence has erupted in several English cities as well as in Northern Ireland, indicating widespread anger throughout the nation. The UK Police have made almost 1,000 arrests in relation to the riots that included acts of violence, looting, and arson in addition to racist attacks.