St Helens MP urges Cameron to visit St Helens Foodbank

10:00am Saturday 9th February 2013 in News

St Helens MP urges Cameron to visit St Helens Foodbank St Helens MP urges Cameron to visit St Helens Foodbank

DAVE Watts is challenging Prime Minister David Cameron to visit a foodbank in St Helens to hear the stories of desperate hardship being faced by families.

The St Helens North MP believes the growing dependency on foodbanks is an illustration of how many more people are being sucked in to poverty.

He likened the free supplies of groceries to 1930s soup kitchens, where meals were dished out to struggling families during the Great Depression.

Watts raised the subject during a debate in the House of Commons and after visiting the St Helens Foodbank depot, has wrote directly to Mr Cameron.

Watts told the Star: “I raised the question about these food banks propping up all over the place, which I think is a bad sign.

“I understand the generosity of people around the country but I never thought I would live in a day when people are being so degraded.

“I spoke to a woman from Newton-le-Willows who walked all the way to the foodbank in St Helens because she had no money to feed her children.

“She couldn’t afford the bus fare to get there. I want to try and press Cameron to visit a foodbank to talk to people who are doing the jobs there and hear some of the harrowing stories and the circumstances some of these people are facing.

“I spoke to other people who have worked all their lives but, after losing their job and being unable to find another, are now using a foodbank.

“I thought we had the welfare state where people who have paid in to the system can take something out. They should not have to be degraded likes this.

“People keep calling them food banks – but to me it is very similar to the soup kitchens of the 1930s, where poor people had to go because they no choice.

“It is just depressing – and the Tories seem to think it is some kind of ‘big society’ when it is raised.

“I certainly think there is a case of poverty levels rising in St Helens – and that is only going to get worse because of benefits changes.”

In December the Star reported how donations were rolling in for the St Helens Foodbank.

People who may be considered for food donations are referred by agencies including St Helens Citizens Advice Bureau, Helena Partnerships, Job Centre Plus, Housing Advice Centre or Hope House.

Food packs are collected from Hall Street Baptist Church and St Helens Christian Life Centre - but recipients must have been approved and given a voucher by one of the agencies.

Comments(12)

Sankey says...
10:14am Sat 9 Feb 13

Food banks were started under the labour government Davy boy. As Cameron told you in the commons and made you look a chump.

Also the recession we are in was started and engineering by Gordon brown whom you served under don't remember you speaking out then?

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jumper says...
10:32am Sat 9 Feb 13

18yrs Thatcherism and we are still suffering regardless of labour being in, the mess they left is still uncalcuable.The fines of the banks should go towards the 2012-2015 plan the council have set along with other struggling councils

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WolfieSmith says...
11:04am Sat 9 Feb 13

Sankey wrote:
Food banks were started under the labour government Davy boy. As Cameron told you in the commons and made you look a chump.

Also the recession we are in was started and engineering by Gordon brown whom you served under don't remember you speaking out then?
Why doesn't 'Call Me Dave' Watts liken his MP's salary to that of the 1930's and give what's left over to the people he represents oh, MP's represent themselves don't they. Call Me Dave doesn't tell us why the woman from Newton 'had no money to feed her children'?

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jumper says...
11:23am Sat 9 Feb 13

They live more than likely of expenses,but the MPs of time gone bye were so well off they could look considerate.When money gets the primary the( workers)always suffer as we have found out again.

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Erics_protege says...
12:04pm Sat 9 Feb 13

After the food bank visit he could nip around to our local Labour MPs mansion for a spot of lunch perhaps?

People in glass houses etc etc.....

He sounded a clown in PMQ's and used his moment in the spotlight to churn out party spin about toffs and the working class rather than raising a suggestion about something that might help his constituency.

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Sankey says...
12:36pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Cameron swatted him in the commons like a fly making him look a fool.

Cameron had been to visit the food bank in his own constituency the day before watts question and as Cameron pointed out the food banks were started under the period of labours office due to the economic mess they caused.

Nothing watts says ever has any substance he just follows sound bites.

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chasmcn says...
4:12pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Sankey wrote:
Cameron swatted him in the commons like a fly making him look a fool.

Cameron had been to visit the food bank in his own constituency the day before watts question and as Cameron pointed out the food banks were started under the period of labours office due to the economic mess they caused.

Nothing watts says ever has any substance he just follows sound bites.
The food bank is a product of the USA the road this country is heading down not a road i want to travel but the neo liberals who run our govts be it torie, labour or lib dem that is the way they are taking us
Due to the lack of a welfare state, food banks are in most major cities and towns run by by church charity's in the USA.The first food bank in the UK was set up in 2000 in a garden shed the second one in 2004 by 2009 there only 50 in the UK by 2012 we have 300 with the biggest growth being in 2011/12 .
The Trussell Trust fed 128,00 in 2012 for Cameron to come out with comment he made shows how out of touch he is,he just supports the rich as they get richer.He has demonised the poor and disabled and blaming them for causing a banking crash around the world. We have been here before in history when enough are people are eating from the food banks having to choose between heating their homes our putting food on the table we are heading for mass civil unrest,low wages are not keeping pace with food prices those on low wages are to have their benefits cut the only growth you can guarantee in this country will be in number people using food banks .

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Sankey says...
4:43pm Sat 9 Feb 13

I don't remember Cameron blaming the poor and the disabled for the banking crash chasmcn any of your links for that? While we are on the subject of the banking crash who caused it? Well really it was all of us we consumed the cheap credit and mortgages that people had not a hope of paying I don't remember anyone complaining. The politicians were responsibie they are the ones who had power to control the money supply. And I am not sure the banking crash was worldwide just mainly Britain and America and to a lesser degree Europe. The people responsible for the foodbanks are those in charge at the time which actually would include dave watts all these troubles did not start in may 2010.

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ollie70 says...
6:53pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Ridiculous to compare today's situation with that of the 1930s. I'm sure there are families who are in genuine need but surely they must be a very small minority, and in virtually every case it does come down to poor education and wrong priorities. Mental illness is obviously another factor. In most other countries, people dont get nearly as much in benefits, and have to rely on family and friends as charity is also usually quite limited. I would certainly love to hear individual stories of people who suffer real hardship, because I spent several years on benefits (bare minimum I must add), and was never close to needing food from a charity.

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saintsfan says...
9:45pm Sat 9 Feb 13

I haven't been to a food bank. Do they check whether you are unemployed at food banks before giving you food? Or do you just walk in and people give you food?

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itme says...
10:49am Sun 10 Feb 13

Foodbanks are well used because you can get free food , petrolbanks , beerbanks , would be well used too , they are not a way of measuring so called "poverty " .

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frankly says...
7:43am Fri 15 Feb 13

i cant honestly say i have seen anyone in our town starving, and considering we are one of the tops in obesity why should i.....Too many get their priorities wrong when having money...With all the outlets now for eating/betting/drink
ing i cant see how they would survive if we are to believe these stories..i am on low income now, i dont gorge but i do eat/drink what i need to survive on.

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