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?