Labour has just announced an Opposition Day debate on foodbanks and UK hunger on 18th December – we’re sure that much of this is down to the fantastic petition launched by a former Foodbank visitor and blogger/journalist, Jack Munroe which has got almost 100,000 signatures since it launched earlier this week.
As today’s Autumn Statement speaks of recovery, The Trussell Trust’s latest figures show that over 500,000 people have received three days’ emergency food from a Trussell Trust foodbank since April alone.
Trussell Trust Executive Chairman Chris Mould says:
‘We’re glad that the economy appears to have turned a corner, but we can’t ignore the reality for millions of British citizens who are facing a tougher winter than ever. Real wages are down, the cost of food is rising rapidly and so is the cost of heating your home. Recovery is not filtering down. Low-income families are teetering on a financial knife-edge.
Today numbers given three days’ emergency food by Trussell Trust foodbanks since April topped 500,000. That’s why we need urgent cross-party action on food poverty, and why we are calling for an inquiry into the causes of UK hunger.’ He adds: ‘Public support for this week’s petition by Jack Monroe asking for UK hunger to be debated in Parliament has been phenomenal. It proves that ordinary people are deeply concerned about the distressing poverty they’re seeing in their communities. We’re delighted that Labour has just announced an Opposition Day debate on foodbanks and UK hunger on 18th December. It’s an important first step in paying this urgent issue the attention it deserves.’