{"id":10801,"date":"2016-12-09T16:03:30","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T16:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=10801"},"modified":"2016-12-12T14:38:39","modified_gmt":"2016-12-12T14:38:39","slug":"wot-no-tories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=10801","title":{"rendered":"Wot, no Tories?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Dozens of Labour MPs came out to support Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s foodbank Christmas appeal in conjunction with the Mirror\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Real Britain and the Trussell Trust on Wednesday (December 7) just outside Parliament.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Among these were Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams and many more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Noticeably absent were any Tory MPs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c as Prime Minister\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Questions ended on Wednesday, they merely shuffled past the \u00e2\u20ac\u0098pop-up\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 foodbank set up by Unite and the Trussell Trust.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Evasion<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The Tories latest evasion is typical of their approach to foodbanks. Instead of seeking to understand why they have proliferated at an alarming rate, instead of supporting them as they do their bit to tackle hunger — which in itself is an outcome of Tory austerity policy — the Conservatives simply pretend foodbanks and growing hunger do not exist.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In 2014, the Department of Work and Pensions, then under the leadership of Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, claimed that the dramatic rise in foodbank provision came down to networks such as the Trussell Trust \u00e2\u20ac\u0098aggressively marketing their services\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That same year, Tory peer Baroness Anne Jenkin claimed that those in need use foodbanks because \u00e2\u20ac\u015bpoor people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know how to cook\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Last year, then-prime minister David Cameron was urged by a commons environmental and rural select committee to commission \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfurther research into why more people are using foodbanks to provide an evidence base to inform and enhance policy responses.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cameron at the time refused<\/a> with absurd excuses, noting that it would be too much of a burden for foodbanks to collect data on foodbank provision.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But even as the Tories continue in their wilful ignorance of the phenomenon of hunger continuing to grow apace in the sixth richest nation in the world, the facts speak for themselves \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the need for foodbanks is now greater than ever.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Foodbank figures<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Last month, the largest foodbank network, the Trussell Trust, released its biannual figures<\/a>, which revealed that the number of emergency food supplies they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve handed out has increased exponentially year-on-year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Between April and September 2016, the Trust gave out more than half a million three-day emergency food parcels, up from 355,982 parcels over the same time period three years ago.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By April of next year, the foodbank network of just over 400 foodbanks dotted across the UK expects to give out a total of 1.1m three-day emergency food supplies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

December is often the month of greatest need \u00e2\u20ac\u201c last year, the Trussell Trust provided 133,734 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis in December; 56,779 of these went to children.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The previous Tory-led government and its successor continue to hew to the line that there is no connection between the growth in foodbanks and government policy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When asked point-blank last year<\/a> at a work and pensions select committee last year whether there was any correlation between austerity and the nearly 400 per cent rise in foodbank use in Scotland, Iain Duncan Smith refused to admit the link.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This belief continues, with a DWP spokesperson saying of the latest Trussell Trust figures, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bReasons for food bank use are complex, so it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s misleading to link them to any one issue.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But the Trussell Trust deals with thousands of people who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve turned to them in desperation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and despite the government refusing to collect data on foodbank use, the Trust has.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What their research has shown is that by far the number one reason that users give for going to foodbanks is that their benefits have been delayed or sanctioned, accounting for 44 per cent of all referrals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Political choice<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams (pictured) said that the need for foodbanks is symbolic of the Tory government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cruel policies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe Trussell Trust report showing that the UK is on course for a record number of people needing to use emergency food parcels is a damning indictment of the Tory Government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s failure,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bEven more staggering in the run up to Christmas is almost 200,000 children will be relying on a food parcel to get a decent meal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is clear that delays in benefits payments and changes to eligibility are a major cause\u00c2\u00a0behind this increase.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhile the Tories continue to look the other way, refusing to accept the evidence, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve announced that Labour would scrap their punitive sanctions regime,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she pledged.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bLabour will transform our social security system, ensuring that it is there for everyone in their time of need.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite political director Anneliese Midgley slammed this and the previous Tory-led government for refusing to accept the stark realities of growing hunger in the UK.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is nothing short of shameful that not one Tory MP even bothered to drop by our \u00e2\u20ac\u0098pop-up\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 foodbank outside Parliament this week,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut I will say it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t surprising \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the Tories have been burying their heads in the sand over growing foodbank use for years.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is obvious that they are unwilling to admit that it is their policies that are driving hunger in this country,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAs the Trussell Trust\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s research has shown, it is this government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shambolic sanctions regime that is the number one reason that people are turning to foodbanks in growing numbers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn the sixth richest nation in the world, we have the resources to ensure that no man, woman or child goes hungry. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not be fooled; austerity-driven poverty in the UK is a political choice — it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time to make different choices.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite urges everyone to get involved in the union\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Christmas appeal \u00e2\u20ac\u201c find out how you can help here.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dozens of Labour MPs came out to support Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s foodbank Christmas appeal in conjunction with the Mirror\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Real Britain and the Trussell Trust on Wednesday (December 7) just outside Parliament.   Among these were Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams and many more.   Noticeably absent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[648,436],"wps_subtitle":"Tories choose not to support Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s foodbank appeal","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10801"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10803,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10801\/revisions\/10803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}