Today has seen the release of a report by the charity, the Trussell Trust that showed there had been a ‘shocking’ 51% rise in people using their established food banks. This is a rise from 347,000 people using the service in 12/13 to 913,000 people using it in 13/14.
What makes the figures more worrying is these statistics are just for the food banks that the Trussell Trust runs, with all food banks included the number of people using food banks will be well over a million in the last year.
The Government disputes that the rise in the use of food banks is linked to welfare reform but the Trust has data that shows that 83% of food banks reported that benefit sanctions has resulted in people being referred to them and that 30% of visits to food banks were put down to a delay in welfare payments.
Lib Dems have kept quiet about the report but Tories have been quick to attack the report, after the Daily Mirror used a picture of a child crying ( the picture was from the USA and not of a child at a food bank – imagine the furore if they had used a picture of a child at a food bank!) Tories have just claimed it is left wing papers and left wing commentators using this story to take away the shine from improved employment figures.
The Tories seem keen to ignore the fact that the Trussell Trust is a non-political charity and that the report was coupled with a letter from leading members of the clergy urging to government to do more to eradicate the need for food banks in 21st Century Britain.
Here in Ipswich we had the deputy leader of the Tory Group tweeting a yawn as she seemed bored by the news that more people than ever were using food banks, she then got into a number of twitter conversations/arguments about the use of food banks with her final line of defence being she was not on about the real poor. Cllr Cenci tweeted; “the really poor area tiny minority. Most can afford coke, crisps etc”
She like many Tories seem to forget that many for many food banks you have to be sent to them by an agency, you just can't turn up. Even a government commissioned report stated that many people find it hard to go and use a food bank.
Many on twitter seem stunned by her comments, her next line of defence was to tell everyone that she was a single parent for 10 years with no benefits; she seemed to forget that she did receive child benefit throughout that time.
Her rhetoric did not surprise me; it seemed to be repeated by many on the right, an attempt to demonise those who needed to use food banks, not willing to listen to those who have had to use them. Even on ‘Loose Women’ – not my usual TV viewing, they had a lady on who had to live off food banks, she eloquently described why and how she used them. Again not sure you could describe ‘Loose Women’ as part of the left wing press group!
It is a worry when it seems politicians, especially local are quick to make assumptions on people without trying to find out the true facts. It seems local Tories are in a race to the bottom with UKIP to demonise as many people as possible.
I was very proud at Christmas, when my oldest daughter helped organise a food collection at her work, so they could make a large donation to a food bank, it was not till she did that did I really understand how much food banks are needed, even in Ipswich.
Whilst on the other hand we have a local Tory MP, Tim Yeo unaware there was even a food bank in his constituency and here in Ipswich we have the Deputy leader of the Tory group bored by the whole discussion on the need for food banks and attempting to demonise those who use them by indicating that many can afford coke and crisps!
Tory Cllr Cenci can often seem to hold quite radical views on twitter but I am not surprised by the negative comments she has received after her ‘yawn’ tweet – she seems to have joined Tory MP Ester McVey in ‘the unpopular Tory on twitter’ group.
Her ill thought comments even managed to get the attention of a well know radio broadcaster – radio DJ, Nick Ferrari from LBC, he repeated Cllr Cenci’s tweet about food banks and yawn – adding after the tweet ‘Nasty Party’ – again not sure many would describe Nick Ferrari ‘of the left!’
We can all make mistakes on twitter, and if you do – apologise (and unlike Ester McVey mean it) but Cllr Cenci seems not able to admit she had got it wrong about food banks – in her mind she is right and all the left and the Mirror are wrong! Not sure the Trussell Trust, the clergy (including the Archbishop of Wales), Loose Women and Nick Ferrari will be happy to described as ‘left wing’. Fact is over a million people each year are using food banks, that should not be acceptable in the sixth richest economy in the world.
Showing posts with label food banks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food banks. Show all posts
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Friday, 16 August 2013
Quail eggs or food banks? - Tim Yeo only knows about quail eggs!
This morning, the Tory MP for South Suffolk was the guest on BBC Radio Suffolk – I decided to listen in as expected him to be questioned about the building of two wind turbines outside Ipswich. The turbines have become an issue that certain Tories have campaigned about in South West Ipswich. One reason is that the turbines will be seen from Ipswich and secondly the land that one of the turbines will be built on is owned by Ipswich Borough Council. Trouble is the Tories seem to forget they signed the deal with the turbine company and that the land that the other turbine will be built on is owned by the family of another Suffolk Tory MP.
Ben Gummer our own Tory MP has spoken about the issue and his picture is on the Tory leaflets but he states that he can’t say much about the issue as it is outside his constituency (this did not stop him recently talking about the hospital in Colchester!)
So I tuned in to hear what Tim Yeo, the Tory MP for South Suffolk would say about the turbines. The issue being complicated further by his involvement in a number of green energy companies.
First of all Mr Yeo was late for the interview and only one question was asked about the wind turbines, Mr Yeo said it was up to Babergh District Council and that as no planning application has been submitted, he could not do much else at the moment (a similar explanation given by Labour councillors in Ipswich that did not seem to be accepted by Tories protesting against the turbines.) Tim Yeo did promise to hold a public meeting once or if the application is submitted.
Tim Yeo also answered questions on other planning issues, he was also asked about Cox’s Park in Hadleigh, he said he would meet the group trying to save the park but did not seem to know much about the issue though in the past he has told residents that he has written to Babergh Council detailing concerns of residents - maybe he should make the answers he received from Babergh (if he has received any) public?
But where Tim Yeo highlighted the fact that he is a Tory MP totally out of touch with his residents and the ‘real’ world was an answer he gave about supporting local shops then a further question about food banks.
Tim Yeo said that he himself used local shops and recently purchased some quail eggs in Hadleigh, at first this remark sounded quite amusing but then he was asked about food banks. The lady with the question was from North Suffolk, and Tim replied that it was shame that food banks were needed but then stated that there were none in his constituency and he believed that not one family in his constituency depended on food banks. Within seconds of this statement a number of listeners (and the BBC) had googled food banks in South Suffolk and found that there was one in Sudbury. One that had been running a number of years and in the biggest town in his constituency! Tim was quickly informed that there was a food bank in his constituency- Tim answered, that they must have been keeping it quiet!
Well Mr Yeo they have not been keeping it quiet and have been working with the Sudbury branch of Waitrose to help families and during Christmas 2011 supplied food hampers to 43 families in crisis and expected to give out more last Christmas.
You would have thought a local MP would have researched the number of food banks and how many people were using them when it is such a national talking point and I would have thought any decent MP would like to know if any families are now in crisis due to changes to the benefits system. But it seems Mr Yeo has not bothered to find out about food banks or even just ask a member of his staff to put Sudbury Food bank in google! Well Mr Yeo to save you the time just check this link to Sudbury Food Bank.
So we have in South Suffolk a Tory MP who knows where you can buy quail eggs but not where to go if you need a food bank! Out of touch.
The bad news for South Suffolk constituents is that Yeo also told BBC Suffolk that he hopes to be standing again in 2015. He was then asked about the corruption claims against him, he said he would be found innocent and once he had he would again take the chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, seems he still can’t see that being the chair of that committee and at the same time working for green energy firms causes any conflict of interests!
First of all will local Tories still want him as their candidate? I am afraid the answer will be ‘yes –so it will be up to the constituents of South Suffolk to get rid of an MP who today managed yet again to show us that he is completely out of touch with the real world.
Do they have quail eggs at the food bank?
Ben Gummer our own Tory MP has spoken about the issue and his picture is on the Tory leaflets but he states that he can’t say much about the issue as it is outside his constituency (this did not stop him recently talking about the hospital in Colchester!)
So I tuned in to hear what Tim Yeo, the Tory MP for South Suffolk would say about the turbines. The issue being complicated further by his involvement in a number of green energy companies.
First of all Mr Yeo was late for the interview and only one question was asked about the wind turbines, Mr Yeo said it was up to Babergh District Council and that as no planning application has been submitted, he could not do much else at the moment (a similar explanation given by Labour councillors in Ipswich that did not seem to be accepted by Tories protesting against the turbines.) Tim Yeo did promise to hold a public meeting once or if the application is submitted.
Tim Yeo also answered questions on other planning issues, he was also asked about Cox’s Park in Hadleigh, he said he would meet the group trying to save the park but did not seem to know much about the issue though in the past he has told residents that he has written to Babergh Council detailing concerns of residents - maybe he should make the answers he received from Babergh (if he has received any) public?
But where Tim Yeo highlighted the fact that he is a Tory MP totally out of touch with his residents and the ‘real’ world was an answer he gave about supporting local shops then a further question about food banks.
Tim Yeo said that he himself used local shops and recently purchased some quail eggs in Hadleigh, at first this remark sounded quite amusing but then he was asked about food banks. The lady with the question was from North Suffolk, and Tim replied that it was shame that food banks were needed but then stated that there were none in his constituency and he believed that not one family in his constituency depended on food banks. Within seconds of this statement a number of listeners (and the BBC) had googled food banks in South Suffolk and found that there was one in Sudbury. One that had been running a number of years and in the biggest town in his constituency! Tim was quickly informed that there was a food bank in his constituency- Tim answered, that they must have been keeping it quiet!
Well Mr Yeo they have not been keeping it quiet and have been working with the Sudbury branch of Waitrose to help families and during Christmas 2011 supplied food hampers to 43 families in crisis and expected to give out more last Christmas.
You would have thought a local MP would have researched the number of food banks and how many people were using them when it is such a national talking point and I would have thought any decent MP would like to know if any families are now in crisis due to changes to the benefits system. But it seems Mr Yeo has not bothered to find out about food banks or even just ask a member of his staff to put Sudbury Food bank in google! Well Mr Yeo to save you the time just check this link to Sudbury Food Bank.
So we have in South Suffolk a Tory MP who knows where you can buy quail eggs but not where to go if you need a food bank! Out of touch.
The bad news for South Suffolk constituents is that Yeo also told BBC Suffolk that he hopes to be standing again in 2015. He was then asked about the corruption claims against him, he said he would be found innocent and once he had he would again take the chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, seems he still can’t see that being the chair of that committee and at the same time working for green energy firms causes any conflict of interests!
First of all will local Tories still want him as their candidate? I am afraid the answer will be ‘yes –so it will be up to the constituents of South Suffolk to get rid of an MP who today managed yet again to show us that he is completely out of touch with the real world.
Do they have quail eggs at the food bank?
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