Emulating US has led to poverty

Britain's "dog eat dog" society, which is a poor copy of the United States, was blamed for the conclusion that this country is the worst developed nation in the world to grow up in.

UK children were yesterday rated bottom of a survey of 21 industrialised countries which looked at issues such as emotional well-being and poverty.

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Neal Lawson, chairman of the Labour think tank Compass, said: "The reason our children's lives are the worst is because we emulate the USA. We copy their labour market flexibility, love of the free market, their worship of business leaders. At the top are the nations prepared to tax, regulate and create the conditions for a strong society, so get the best of all worlds."