A new city-wide campaign is to target "shockingly high" rates of child poverty in London.

Some 41 per cent of all children in the capital are said to be living in poverty - once housing costs are taken into account - compared to 28 per cent across the rest of the country.

And despite government drives to reduce child poverty at a national level, there has been little consistent progress made in London since 1998/99.

Mayor Ken Livingstone and the Association of London Government have now launched a new commission aimed at tackling the issue.

The London Child Poverty Commission will seek to increase understanding of the causes of the capital's high child poverty rates and identify policies at national and local levels that will help reduce them.

It will also identify ways to break the cycles of deprivation through the delivery of public services.

Commission chairman Carey Oppenheim said: "London is a world city, thriving and prosperous - but its prosperity masks shockingly high rates of child poverty."

Oppenheim added that the commission will be working with central, regional and local government on developing practical solutions to child poverty in the capital.

"We want to make a once and for all difference to the life chances of this generation and future generations of children in London," Oppenheim said.

And Livingstone described the situation in London as "no longer tolerable".

"This independent commission will work with all levels of government to identify the policies needed to ensure that all of London's children get a fair start in life," the mayor said.

The London Conservatives have given their backing to the scheme.

"It is a disgrace that child poverty is so high in a city as wealthy as London. We fully support this commission," said assembly Conservatives leader Bob Neill.

But he added that "the very fact that we need a commission is a stunning admission of failure by a government that has had almost nine years to improve things".