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| Councillor Chris Coates |
Lancaster Green Councillor Chris Coates has condemned local MPs for voting not to investigate the increased use of food banks in the UK.
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| Eric Ollerenshaw |
As we reported yesterday, both local MPs Eric Ollerenshaw and David Morris voted against a proposal on 18th December in the House of Commons that called on the Government to publish the results of research into the use of food banks that it had promised to make public in the summer and for action to be taken to reduce dependency on food handouts.
“The message that this sends to people struggling to
make ends meet is that our local MPs don’t care about you,” feels Councillor Coates. “To turn away
from those in need at this time of year is unbelievable.
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| David Morris |
“The number of people using food banks is on the increase across the country driven by things like the bedroom tax, low wages and rising energy and food prices,” he continued. “It is a basic human right that people should have sufficient food and that they should not go hungry. We should spare a thought for those who are going to struggle to have any sort of Christmas at all this year.”
The call on the government to do something about the rising use of food banks follows on from calls earlier in the year by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, that the UK government was “Shirking its responsibilities.”.
The number of people using foodbanks provided by the Trussell Trust has increased from 41,000 in 2010 to more than 500,000 since April this year
• Read the debate in Hansard: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131218/debtext/131218-0003.htm#13121855000003
Local Food Banks
Olive Branch Food Bank
1 Westbourne Road, Lancaster LA1 5DB
Tel: 01524 555715 Mobile:
http://www.the-olivebranch.org.uk
Morecambe Bay Foodbank
The G.Y.M. Methodist Church, Green Street, Morecambe LA4 5HN
Tel: 07591 763 130
• Trussell Trust Food Bank network map if you want to donate, volunteer or seek help – http://www.trusselltrust.org/map. You can also send cheques payable to “The Trussell Trust”
to: The Trussell Trust, Unit 10, Ashfield Trading Estate, Salisbury SP2
7HL
• To donate to the Mirror’s Food Bank appeal visit justgiving.com/Mirror-Foodbank-Appeal.
Alternatively
you can donate by calling 01722 580 208 between 9.30am and 5pm or text
FBOX99 £1 or £2, £3, £4, £5, £10 to 70070 e.g: text “FBOX99 £5” to
70070
Cllr. Coates is absolutely right. Our MPs applaud the charitable giving that allows the Food Banks to function and see this as a sign of a civilised Britain. How out of touch are they? The real debate for their Christmas dinner table is have they helped those in need or added to their misery. Hiding criticism will not avoid them being called to judgement.