A COALITION of nine trade unions and campaign groups have called for an update to the Equality Act aimed at making austerity unlawful.

The Make Equality Real campaign demanded all political parties commit to introducing a socio-economic duty to reduce poverty into the Act in their general election manifestos.

In a petition to Westminster party leaders, they say that “the socio-economic duty should be written into the Equality Act 2010 as part of a campaign to end austerity and make equality real … ensuring that everyone in Britain can live secure and fulfilling lives.”