GORDON BROWN called on the government yesterday to scrap plans to abolish the extra £20-a-week universal credit currently paid to millions of families.

The year-long rise was introduced in April, after Britain went into lockdown, to help those who had lost their jobs.

In a speech to the Resolution Foundation, the former prime minister warned that failure to act urgently would lead to “community revolt,” adding that the real value of child benefits must be increased to prevent child poverty falling to levels not seen since official records began.