Food poverty and the chance to make a difference in the election
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Version 0 of 1. Letters: Jane Middleton urges readers to vote Labour to end the Tory-induced epidemic of food bank use, while Jane Streather says the next government must increase funding for the provision of free food to children The latest statistics from the Trussell Trust indicate that almost three-quarters of people using food banks are forced to do so by the government’s welfare policies (Universal credit blamed as food bank handouts soar by 23% in a year, 13 November). Those of us involved in campaigning against food poverty have long since stopped being surprised by the Tories’ denial of this unpalatable truth. What is surprising is that this government-induced epidemic of hunger is not the dominant issue at this election. In 1945, memories of the deprivations of the 1920s and 1930s led the electorate to vote in a government that would create the welfare state; now we need to vote for one that will restore that welfare state to its original role of preventing destitution, not causing it. The Labour Hunger Campaign was set up to encourage the Labour party to adopt a measures to eradicate food poverty. We are proud that Labour has committed to many of these: reversing the Tory welfare changes, ending the need for food banks and embedding the right to food in law, backed up by a national food strategy. This means that next month a government could be in place that will act immediately to end hunger and restore dignity to people’s lives. But it won’t happen unless we vote for it. There are many reasons to criticise Labour, but it is the only party that will end food poverty. If we really want to halt the rise in food bank use, we must use our vote accordingly.Jane MiddletonFounder, Labour Hunger Campaign • More than 209,000 children were living in poverty in the north-east in 2017-18. Across the UK, that figure stands at 4.1 million, and is forecast to rise to 5.2 million by 2022. School holidays can be a time of hardship, with childcare costs and the absence of free school meals. That’s why the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) has campaigned for better access to free holiday activities and food. This year, the government awarded £9m to 11 projects making this provision, with two in the north-east. This money was welcome, but what about the thousands of children living in poverty who missed out? There were 11 unsuccessful bids for this funding – totalling more than £5.62m – from our region alone, which illustrates the demand for such schemes. Yet the government has just published an “invitation to bid” for 2020 holiday provision, with no increase in funding, meaning thousands of children could again lose out. The NECPC believes the next government must end the pilot programmes and competitions for inadequate funding pots, and provide long-term funds for the universal provision of free holiday activities and food in areas where child poverty is high.Jane StreatherChair, North East Child Poverty Commission • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition |