QUESTIONING the existence of poverty by referring to the lack of ‘street urchins’ in Hull Road seems an unfortunate image (Geoff Robb, Letters, February 26).

This only helps to reinforce a divide between the poorest and the rest of society.

Apart from ignoring the dynamic nature of poverty, there seems an implicit suggestion that the extreme hardship that undoubtedly exists in much of York is a falsehood. Westfield, Clifton, Hull Road and Guildhall all have child poverty rates in excess of 20 per cent.

The most used measure of relative poverty (60 per cent of median income) allows one to consider how many children have the opportunity to participate in society as well as an appreciation that income is necessary, although not necessarily sufficient, to escape poverty.

Labour’s achievement in reducing child poverty by 1.1m should not be underestimated after the doubling of child poverty under the previous Conservative administration. Labour introduced a network of children’s centres, a national childcare strategy (although more should have been done), early years intervention and greater health equality.

This hard work is being unravelled by a brutal assault from the Coalition on not only those who are in low-paid work, but some of those who cannot work.

Is the treatment of poverty political? Undoubtedly so, Mr Robb.

Richard Bridge, Holgate Road, York.