Your newspaper reports that more than a quarter of the borough’s children are living in poverty (‘More than a quarter of borough’s children live in poverty’, Times Series, October 23).

However, Hendon’s Conservative MP Matthew Offord can only talk about “forcing people off the dole”.

Yet again, the right-wing MP just does not get it.

Most child poverty is within families where the parents are working and despite the Conservatives’ talk of a fall in unemployment, most ‘new jobs’ are very badly paid, casual and insecure.

Poor rates of pay were countered, to some extent, by the last government’s policies of allowing tax credits for those who were at work.

Mr Offord, apparently, does not approve of this course of action as he uses the tell-tale phrase ‘hand out’.

Nothing will be achieved by Mr Offord’s mean-spirited and economically backward approach.

In his time as Hendon’s MP, he has served the interests of the very few, who have seen their fortunes boosted, but not the overwhelming majority.

David Beere

Colin Crescent, Colindale