This is utterly shameful

rosecarmel

Where there is widespread hunger, there are governments that have failed- There's corruption- There's misappropriation of funds- They go hand in hand- It occurs in countries where a very low percentage of GDP is spent on safety nets- It's a malignant, governmental habit that charities cannot fix- To expect them to would be akin to asking someone else to kick your drug addiction for you- Governments anticipate charitable contributions like addicts anticipate their next score-

So right.

To have so much wealth and yet so much food insecurity, where millions of children are hungry is a political choice.

People who defend this choice are complicit in child hunger.

There is no getting away from it. It is a major scandal.

lemongrove

Then there are very many failed governments Rose in the world including your own.
Summerlove Germany is the richest and yet there is a massive amount of poverty there.France also amongst EU countries.What are they all doing wrong?
Supposedly being in the EU has been wonderful.....or not.
Constantly berating the UK is shortsighted when food poverty in all European countries is on the rise.
There are many and varied reasons for it and from what I read very few countries are getting things right.
Covid is now a contributing factor.

Yes, including the US -- the UK and other countries you mentioned-

They've failed greatly in contrast to responsible governments, those that experienced considerable success in the areas where the others failed-

Failed governments do not apologize- They do not hold themselves accountable- As a result supporters of failed governments don't either-

They do attempt to distort truth, to ignore it and deflect it from their position of delusional comfort while others struggle and suffer-

What's theirs is theirs and what's yours is their's, too- Much like how the last two presidential elections were won by Trump eventhough in reality one wasn't-

Month after month Congress sat around playing Pong then took a break to celebrate Thanksgiving with family while multitudes made due or did without-

Which countries and governments are not failing Rose in your view? There is poverty and food hunger in just about all.
Norway and Sweden and Switzerland may well be ok,( I don’t know) but in all major countries pay inequalities, and food poverty is rising fast and has been for a while.There are many factors for this, it’s not a simple fix.
It’s still a good thing that charities exist, and that UNICEF and others are helping.We can all do our bit towards food banks.
I am not at all complacent about the situation but recognise that slagging off this government constantly is ridiculous unless you also slagg off just about every other country too.

It takes a certain kind of person who being aware of the hunger children are feeling in the U.K. attempt to deflect the criticism by pointing out that other countries have poor children as well.

Ironic as well given the time of year and the age old story of The Christmas Carol.

Perhaps they would feel happier in the 19th century?

I don't buy that sales pitch, lemongrove- It isn't necessary to discuss all countries at once- That's deflection- The polar opposite of being specific, direct and addressing problems as done in countries with greater success rates-

What you're selling is the idea that there is a roof leaking in every country therefore perfectly acceptable, no solution necessary- ?

Ain’t this the truth

rosecarmel

I don't buy that sales pitch, lemongrove- It isn't necessary to discuss all countries at once- That's deflection- The polar opposite of being specific, direct and addressing problems as done in countries with greater success rates-

What you're selling is the idea that there is a roof leaking in every country therefore perfectly acceptable, no solution necessary- ?

Did I say that?Of course I didn’t, that is the slant you prefer to put on it Rose because of your own political views....just as whitewave is doing on every thread started this year.
No matter what political parties are in charge in other countries, including all the power sharing ones such as Germany, inequality and food hunger is rising.It’s no good treating the UK in isolation in this matter, and it’s relevant to mention other countries ( it shows that it isn’t the fault of any one government.) Therefore isn’t an easy fix.
Charities and food banks are necessary and helpful (including grants and donations from anyone at all) in all countries in Europe, especially after this year of Covid.
It’s easy ( and lazy) for posters to use emotive insults such as whitewave does about 19 th century and A Christmas Carol
( which is about charity, generosity and family in any case!) not governments.The UK and other countries too would be in the same boat no matter what party led them.
When you look at the big picture instead of focussing only on the UK you can see what is happening. It’s saddening to think that any child is hungry anywhere, or at any time in history especially in a European country in the 21st century ( or the US) but heartening that here at least, we have so many charities helping out because I don’t think that everyone realises how serious a bind we are in economically now, and how affected so many people are by it.Covid has set us and others back by possibly decades.

Keep going lemon generalisation and deflection are your honed skills. A lesson for all.

I prefer to take a balanced look at things whitewave and won’t be drawn into trading insults with you on any thread.

lemongrove, I don't buy it- It's the same old rant where one insists their pitch isn't a slant but flat out truth-

I'd love to hear your personal interpretation of the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein- ?

If The Christmas Carol is ALL about generosity, charity and family ..

"Marley was dead, to begin with-"

lemongrove I totally understand where you are coming from.

Rose I will leave ‘rants’ to others, have merely stated what I believe to be the case.If you or anyone else doesn’t ‘buy it’ then that’s fine by me.As I’ve just said to ww I refuse to get personal and drawn into spats.

One can't take a balanced look at things if all they're doing is examining similarities for no reason other than making comparisons because doing so won't lead to solutions-

I also understand where lemongrove is coming from-

rosecarmel

I also understand where lemongrove is coming from-

? many of us do as well

The U.K. does not do well on wealth inequality measures. And I suspect that will get a whole lot worse.

All sorts of inequality figures here: www.equalitytrust.org.uk/scale-economic-inequality-uk

By all means look for solutions Rose ...it may take a long time.While working on that, be pleased that all governments and charities are doing what they can with benefits and food boxes.

This must be a first when someone praises the fact that we have food boxes.

We didn’t have food boxes 15 years ago. They have only come into existence since the Tories took office.

Without their existence we must assume that people would be utterly destitute because this government does nothing to help the children.

It was dragged kicking and screaming into providing hungry children with food during the school holidays.

Utterly disgraceful.

Thanks GG13 ?
Balance seems to have gone out of the window on GN lately unfortunately, and insults take the place of reason and fairness if a poster has a different opinion.

Wrong ww as foodbanks were started in around 2000 in the UK and other countries, and in 1967 in the US.
Churches have been helping for longer than that of course.

lemongrove I have decided not to engage, as apparently not belonging to the correct gang is a crime on GN according to some at this point in time and I imagine the hysteria and hyperbole will increase over the coming weeks.

There has been an enormous increase in food bank usage. And not just pandemic related.

More figures.

www.statista.com/statistics/382695/uk-foodbank-users/

Good post Lemongrass.

Let it not be forgotten that one of the people doing the most for children in need this year is Marcus Rashford who himself was a child in need - through the Blair Labour years.

All governments could do more not just Tory ones.

Probably for the best GG13 and having put my point of view will sign out too. ?

lemongrove

Wrong ww as foodbanks were started in around 2000 in the UK and other countries, and in 1967 in the US.
Churches have been helping for longer than that of course.

But Labour were intent on eradicating child poverty by 2020, the need for food boxes fell and there was a huge decrease in child poverty during their tenure in government, which would have continued except the Tories visited austerity on the poor, leaving the wealthy to get richer. And the need for food boxes reach a level never seen in modern times.

I suppose it is very essential to be balanced when confronted by a hungry child.

Personally my balance goes out the window and I would move heaven and hell to improve their situation.