How is poverty dealt with in the UK?

Click HERE to read the BBC News article!

107-year-old Hetty Bower a hit at Labour conference meeting

One of Britain's oldest women stole the show at a Labour Party fringe meeting, with an impassioned speech against government cuts.

Kier Hardie had just been elected leader of the fledgling Labour Party when 107-year-old Hetty Bower was born.

She has spent a lifetime campaigning for peace and improved standards of living for working people.

Although frail, and with failing eyesight and hearing, she spoke with a clarity and force undimmed by age.

"I have lived for a very long time and I have a very good memory," she told the meeting, which had been organised by the Daily Mirror to highlight the human stories behind austerity.

"I've lived through two world wars and I have spent most of my adult life working for peace on our planet…we waste time and money killing each other, when we should be sitting at a table discussing how to improve the lives of ordinary people."

Mrs Bower, who recently took part in a march against the closure of a hospital near her North London home, shared a platform with Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey among others.

[She talked about poverty and deprivation and what it was like when the word 'welfare' was totally unknown.]

"So we have progressed, but I'm now wondering what's going to happen to our welfare state and that is what I have to campaign about in the short time still left to me - peace on our planet and improvement of living conditions."

"I can remember hearing a mother discuss whether she could pay for the visit of a doctor or whether it's got to go on food for the family. I can remember women singing in the street for pennies generous people threw at their feet. Those days must never return."

A veteran of left-wing campaigns from the General Strike in the 1920s to the anti-Iraq war protests of 2003, Mrs Bower also shared her recollections of the "battle of Cable Street," in the 1930s, when fascists were prevented from marching through Jewish areas of East London.

"Hatred of other human beings will have to be totally eliminated throughout our land and that is what I, in the short time left to me, am still campaigning for - peace," she said to a standing ovation from Labour delegates.

Mrs Bower, then headed off to meet Ed Miliband, the 12th man to lead the Labour Party since she joined it at the age of 17 (Ramsay Macdonald was the first).

Questions/to do:

1. Research / explain / translate / find synonyms to or alternative expressions for the words or phrases in bold in the text above (adapted from the BBC News article).
2. Whose responsibility is it to help the poor according to Ms Bower?
3. How is poverty dealt with in YOUR country of origin?
4. Would YOU join a campaign against government cutbacks (why/not)?