Millionaire Lord David Freud has said there is ‘no evidence’ of a link between the government’s welfare reforms and the surge in the numbers of people using food banks. Can you believe it?If you don't know who Lord Freud is, let me tell you that he is the welfare reform minister! He lives in cloud cukoo land, but I would love to ask him if he could move and live amongst ordinary voters on the Cuckoo estate. A couple of weeks ago he was asked in parliament about the increase in the numbers of people turning to food banks. The Trussell Trust charity has estimated the number of people using food banks in 2012 was 350,000, almost TRIPLE the number from the previous year.The social fund, which is no more but did provide grants to people in need, is to blame for the increase taken together with a longer wait for beneifts and the much harsher benefit sanctions (which would fill an entire thread, so let's not debate it on this thread), will mean that the use of food banks is only going to increase. But, of course, Lord Freud disagrees with (most of) us. He said he could not find any evidence as to whether the use of food banks is supply led or demand led. On top of that, he said, it is not his job to monitor the provision of food banks because the food banks are done on a charitable basis! If you were to sign on for Job Seekers Allowance today you would be desperately trying to make ends meet. People are living off their credit cards for about six weeks because Job Centres / DWP system are cocking up big time. Job Centres advisors are even, I understand, helpfully telling their 'clients' (dunno if that is the right term) to go to the local food bank UNTIL they get their benefits! Lord David Freud? Come on down. Are you a real human being? Are you a Chelsea fan? Are you alive and have humanity in abundance? Let me tell you what I think of you:Foxtrot Oscar!
Ben Owen ● 4671d