Food Banks and Poverty- was Nye right?

Urmstonegran why do you include those with disabilities and those with mental health problems in your list are they in some way different from people being treated for cancer or heart problems? Is a disability the same as being feckless?

The poor will always be amongst us.
Plus the feckless.
The drug addicts.
The alcoholics.
The feral youth who say fuk you lady* if you smile at them.
The stupid.
The lonely abused girls who get pregnant intentionally to have someone to love.
Those with disabilities.
And mental health problems.
The damaged souls from dysfunctional homes.

We have to rely on a government to look after its people. Plus some good charities - not all are.

It’s overwhelming to try to ‘fix’ society. I’m not uncaring, just realistic about life. There will always be people who need help. Always.

The quotation comes from his book published in 1952, so perhaps we need to assess the context in which it was written. At the time UK was suffering austerity measures resulting from the end of WW2. UK was bankrupt and rationing still in place. Huge displacement and poverty of people across Europe, in countries rebuilding from total destruction. Fast forward life is different and certainly TV has been constructive in highlighting poverty, think Cathy Come Home and the impact of that in the 1960s, think famines in Africa, Yemen today, Syria, the desperate plight of refugees. Poverty in this country is relative and complex, as unacceptable as it is to see homeless people and dependency on food banks. It has always been with us and the poor reliant on charities such as the Salvation Army but we know more about it now through media. When people have chaotic lives, suffer abuse, have mental health issues or addiction, plus lack of affordable homes it's difficult to know where to start and what the Government needs to focus on. Governments of all colours have failed these people through the years. I can only hope this Government will address it.

Thats terrible trisher. You only have to look at sporting fixtures between schools in affluent areas and schools in poor areas. The difference is shocking, let alone brain development.

I think the whole point of Nye's remark is that we seem to be entering a period when inequalities are just accepted. And much on this thread seems to support that idea. There may not be people in the street dying every day but there are people suffering significant dietary restrictions. One of the factors in the proper brain development of children is adequate nutrition. Does anyone really doubt that there are children today who do not have the correct diet and that something should be done about them?

Baggs evidence

EXCLUSIVE: The Conservatives are inviting private firms to bid for NHS cardiology, gynaecology, paediatrics and oncology services in big sell out

Private firms are being invited to bid for chunks of our health service – in complete contrast to Boris Johnson ’s repeated election campaign denials.

Here is link to artical

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/private-firms-invited-run-nhs-21178712.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Baggs, attending food bank for many years does not give you a chance to turn your life around from the grinding poverty you are in. It just gives you respite for a few days. What help would you get to ease you out of low pay, zero hours, high rents etc. Some of the people we see are youngish people who have been in care and have no idea of how to budget, cook or organise family life. Life in care doesn't teach you that.

Or what taxi drivers tell us, so you will tip them.

JE there is more to GN and life in general than happy-clappy thoughts and the trivia fed to us by the red tops and TV.

Some of us think these issues are more important that what is happening this week on East Enders or what slebs are up to.

Boris said the NHS is safe during election but is now being sold off to private firms.
Evidence, please.

Also, privatisation or contracting out of some NHS services started under Labour:
"However, in1999 ‘New Labour’ marked the start of a transition of the NHS fromapublic sector providerto include the private sector under the disguise of choice and competition. New Labour’s reforms of the NHS proved to be highly unpopular both within and outside the mainstream Labour Party."

from: www.opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/moment-of-honesty-is-required-new-labour-began-dismantling-of-our-nhs/

by Kailash Chand

She meant what she said, which was that she didn't understand it because it seemed to her that the opportunity to turn their lives around had been provided. Please take special note of the phrase "it seemed to her".

So what did she mean then?

Oh they must be scroungers, that'll be it.

That's on you, inky, not me. I didn't think it and neither did my friend.

I help out in a food bank and its not just food that is provided, credit for electric and cooking classes are two of the other things provided. It is not just peoe on benefits but also low earners, those with high rents and on zero hours. There are also baby banks which will provide for clothes and equipment for small children and babies.

It seems to me that because we now have food banks etc. the government can step back from their responsibilities. How do they think its right that they give someone £71 to live on for a week while they can claim £160 per week for food expenses. This government just doesn't seem to care and don't get me started on Ian Duncan bloody Smith and his honour.

So sorry to hear about your son Joelsnan

We do need to talk about these issues of massive inequality.
It's ok for many of the older generation who saved bought their houses etc. With a wonderful NHS thank Nye Bevan for that and the welfare state. But even if you cannot see it there has been underfunding and cuts to our public services we all rely on for the last nearly 10 years. Promises Johnson made have been broken as soon as he took office. He said the NHS is safe during election but is now being sold off to private firms. And what is he doing about the climate emergency? We need to hold this government to account. So much is wrong with the Tory government no one can be complacent.

A relative of a friend of mine died of motor neurone disease before his payments could be sorted out and that only happened because they were able to help him with his application. I'd seen Daniel Blake prior to that and thought it was a bit of an extreme case until they assured me that that's how bad things actually are.

JN, desperately sad and so sorry.

On a more specific level, I know someone who was a volunteer at a food bank for years. Last time I saw her she spoke of being surprised that some people who had been helped over long periods to turn their lives around were still coming for food bank handouts

Oh they must be scroungers, that'll be it.

How on earth have we made the leap from " I'm sad and concerned that people in the 4th (?) richest country in the world need to use foodbanks"........to " anybody who is bothered is a doom ridden pessimist"

I am genuinely sorry to hear about your son Joelsnan. Your story means more because I know you are not exaggerating and not telling it to make a headline or to "doom monger".

I have never claimed that hundreds of thousands or millions are dying of starvation. I don't even like food being used as political football, because it's not the biggest problem the poor face, but it's visible and a simple message for people to understand or refute.

My son (before he took his life) was frequently sanctioned by DWP. He suffered severely with anxiety and panic attacks and couldn’t cope with the DWP offices, his father and I bought him food etc. When I understood his sanctions. I wrote to his MP and got no response. I requested a private interview for him at DWP which was refused. I then went with him to an interview for Universal Credit and initially was told I could not be with him, however, I refused to move. Half way through the interview the clerks stopped and said it was obvious he was too ill to continue, she told me to take him to the doctor for a sick note and the benefits would be paid without him needing to attend again. He got a sick note for one month and received payments however towards the end of the month he began to get anxious that he wouldn’t get another sick note and days before it expired he took his life.
The benefits system is not easy to navigate, just starting a claim is a long process involving phone calls to faceless workers who work from tick lists. There appears to be little training of staff to enable identification of those really in need and sanctions although intended to penalise those trying to claim benefits whilst working are in fact penalising the most vulnerable usually the sick.
Unfortunately the stigma attached to many claimants arose during the crash of the 80s (I think) when unemployment was high and benefits easy to get, some people did live better lives on benefits than work. A few still do, but not many. The trouble is that as a result of its inappropriate application at that time genuine claimants have real problems accessing help today.

Ignore them, if you don't like them or don't want to believe them JenniferEccles. What's the problem?

I'll be honest and say that I don't like foodbanks. I would far rather people were given increased benefits or that work really did pay, so they could buy food for themselves.

As far as I'm concerned, food isn't the biggest problem the poor face. Housing is and nobody seems to want to do very much about it.

I am firmly convinced these doom and gloom threads are posted purely to encourage arguments, leading to outrage at the supposed heartlessness of some.

Honestly how many threads saying virtually the same thing do we need?

We all know by now that some of you are certain that hundreds of thousands if not millions are dying of starvation when the rest of us are well aware that that is poppycock.

It won’t stop some of you though will it?

I am trying to guess the angle tomorrow’s ‘we are all doomed’ thread will take.