Angela Eagle MP, Labour's Exchequer Secretary, responding to George Osborne's speech at Demos, said:

"If this is the best the Tories can do to claim they are a party of fairness, then the Labour Party is delighted that the battle will be joined on this issue. 
 
"George Osborne's speech shows we are fighting a Tory party that, for all the talk of change, is still committed to the old unfair policies.

"George Osborne offers empty rhetoric on child poverty now, but people will remember that this is the same Shadow Chancellor whose flagship tax policy diverts £1 billion to the 3,000 richest estates in the country. 
 
"And this  is the same Tory Party that opposed the minimum wage, opposed Pension Credit and the Winter Fuel Allowance, opposed support for families through tax credits and still won't commit to any real pledge on child poverty.

"The focus groups might be telling George Osborne that the Tories need to start talking about fairness, but until he has a fair set of policies his party will remain the Party of unfairness.