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EMBARGO: 00:01 Tuesday 27th MARCH

CONTACT: Kate Bell, Child Poverty Action Group 07823 770 425 kbell@cpag.org.uk

Families vote could be decisive in race for City Hall

New poll shows over 140,000 families with children undecided. Family friendly policies set to be key election battleground. Voters back Ken over Boris to tackle child poverty.

With just weeks remaining until the London Mayoral election, a YouGov poll for Family Friendly London, a coalition of charities, has found that over 140,000 London families remain undecided. The poll came as the coalition launched their manifesto calling for action from the next Mayor to make London more family friendly and to tackle child poverty. A clear majority of families said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who pledged more affordable housing (63%), made employers pay the London living wage (61%), encouraged employers to offer flexible working hours (60%), delivered more affordable and flexible childcare (59%), or did more to promote information about the help available with living costs (54%). Londoners across the board were particularly supportive of policies on affordable housing (67% more likely to support a candidate pledging action in this area), and the living wage (62%). The poll revealed

Over 140,000 families (14%) dont yet know who they will vote for. More than 1 in 4 (26%) families are unsure which candidate policies were the most family friendly, indicating candidates must do more to engage with this crucial issue. As well as being the lead choice of families vote (48% Livingstone to 35% Johnson), Ken Livingstone is also the most trusted candidate on tackling child poverty with 37% backing him to do the best job compared to just 13% backing Boris Johnson.

Alison Garnham a spokesperson for Family Friendly London said: With over 140,000 families undecided, and only 1 in 4 clear on which candidate offers the best deal, the family vote is set to be a key battleground in deciding who will be Londons next Mayor. It is now vital that candidates listen to their concerns and commit to make London more family friendly by making work more flexible, childcare and housing more affordable and delivering better information for parents. Committing to these vital issues might not only be key to winning the upcoming election, but is also a first step towards tackling Londons shockingly high levels of child poverty. Ends Notes to editors For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Kate Bell on 07823 770 425 or kbell@cpag.org.uk

(1) All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,219
adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th - 12th March 2012. The survey was carried

out online.320 of those polled had children in the household, and are referred to here as families compared to 861 who did not. For a full copy of the polling data please contact Kate Bell at the details above.

(2) The ONS estimate there are 1.02 million families with dependent children in the capital,
based on data from the Labour Force Survey. 14 per cent of those polled with children in the household do not yet know who to vote for.

(3) All candidate have been invited to take part in a hustings to debate the issues with London
families.

(4) The organisations involved in this manifesto are a coalition brought together by our belief that
levels of child poverty in the capital are unacceptable. Over 600,000 children in the capital, 4 in 10 are in poverty. Organisations who have endorsed the manifesto are: 4in10, Children England, Child Poverty Action Group, Citizens UK, Daycare Trust, Gingerbread, LVSC, Toynbee Hall, Trust for London, Save the Children, Shelter, Women Like Us, and Zaccheus 2000. The manifesto is available at www.familyfriendlylondon.org.uk