Food Bank splits opinion

[DRiddle]

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/boost-for-hard-up-families-1-5540998

It seems like the tories plan to pit the working poor against the none working poor is working.

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

I think the food bank situation is taking advantage of hard up good willed people by the smug greedy upper classes that created the need for food banks.

[SRMoore]

'Freely you have received, freely give'.

Those that have more willingly give to those that need it more. Without the state being involved and taking a cut as an admin charge. How I prefer things.

[steveL]

Actually, I would be interested to see how true that is. I strongly suspect that the main donors are those who don't have a lot themselves.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

I don't think that it's quite as simple as that anymore Stig; historically it was the 'upper classes' who doled out largesse to their serfs, whilst ensuring that they got their pound of flesh from the peasants (whether it be labour, tithes, or droit de seigneur with regards to the gamekeeper's wife).

At least they provided some kind of support, alongside the monks and nuns who looked after the sick, old and infirm.  The current lot in Parliament seem to be oblivious to the lives of real people; could it be an inability to perceive 'reality', rather than a wish to trample on sections of the population?

As I said in an earlier thread I totally endorse the work of the food banks, and believe that the world would be a better place if we all chipped in to help people who are stuck in a hard place. 

[steveL]

Have you noticed how the Tory spin of 'making work pay' involves making the poor poorer rather than making the low paid workers richer? It's a double-whammy for the Tories. Not only do you save on welfare costs but you make the low paid appreciate that, bad as things are, they could be even worse off.

Can't wait to see Ian Duncan Smith (married into money) switch from his £1,500 a week job to living on £53 a week - which he claims he could do if he had to. I seem to remember some other Tory offering to do the same - he gave up after 3 days.

[SRMoore]

St Hilda's [as a congregation] contributes to the Foodbank, as do most churches in the town now. Contributions are made by people from varying incomes but the point is that we all recognise that there are people who aren't as well off as us at the moment so we give what we can.

Hopefully those who use the foodbank now will remember the service once they are back on their feet and will freely give something back to help others.

[steveL]

If the poor had any wits about them they would all turn up at Cameron's house for one of his sleepover parties (vol-au-vents, optional).

Quote: "Hopefully those who use the foodbank now will remember the service once they are back on their feet and will freely give something back to help others."

Sadly, it will be a while till they're back on their feet after walking the 10 mile to ask about all those jobs you were talking about, Shane

[SRMoore]

Can't wait to see Ian Duncan Smith (married into money) switch from his £1,500 a week job to living on £53 a week - which he claims he could do if he had to. I seem to remember some other Tory offering to do the same - he gave up after 3 days.

Iain Duncan Smith has described a petition calling on him to live on £53 a week as a 'complete stunt' and says he already knows what it is like to live on the breadline.

The Work and Pensions Secretary told the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian: "This is a complete stunt which distracts attention from the welfare reforms which are much more important and which I have been working hard to get done.

"I have been unemployed twice in my life so I have already done this (lived on the equivalent of £53 a week).

[SRMoore]

Lets not drag the conversation down to a childish level, Steve.
The Job Centre would expect jobseekers to be looking for work within a 45 minute travel time (or it was when I was last out of work).
Those enquiring about jobs 10 miles away can use the telephones in the job centre free of charge.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

@SRMoore - I believe you to be a genuine, decent sort of chappie; I only wish that you would apply a little critique to the rumblings from on high ... 

[steveL]

You have things in the wrong order, Shane. IDS was challenged by a market trader who, incidentally, was made redundant after 30 years contributing tax and NI to the state. He had given up, at his age, of finding a job so set himslef up as a market trader working, on avaerage, a 60 hour week. As a result, his benefits were cut to the point when he was left with £53 a week.

IDS was asked about the conflan on Radio 4 and said that he could live on £53 a week 'if he had to' - it was only after listeners heard his remark that a petition was started.

This is IDS talking about his first taste of unemployment:

"It was a shock – absolutely awful. I felt pathetic. I remember telling my wife. We looked at each other and she said: 'God, what are we going to do for money?'"

Duncan Smith's wife, Betsy, is the daughter of the 5th Baron Cottesloe who served as lord-lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in the 1980s and 1990s. Duncan Smith and his wife, who sent their children to Eton, moved into Lord Cottesloe's 17th-century Old House in the village of Swanbourne in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

Aye, it's a tough life for the unemployed, Iain.

[mk1]

4,000 queue in cold for the chance of shop jobs


http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/387854/4-000-queue-in-cold-for-the-chance-of-shop-jobs


HUNDREDS of job hunters have applied to work at a new store which is due to open this spring.

A new Tesco Express store, which is set to open in Ocean Road on Walney, has had almost 300 applications for 16 jobs in just four days

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/hundreds-apply-for-jobs-at-new-walney-store-1.1034590?referrerPath=news

[fred c]

IDS married into money, he wed "Betsy" the daughter of the 5th Baron Cottesloe, he sent his kids to Eton, so i don`t expect him to be using a food bank anytime soon.

I fully agree that people who are in difficulty should receive as much help as possible, but that should be via the Government, its 2013 we are one of the wealthiest countries in the developed world & yet we have "Food Banks" what kind of message does that send to the world when we can`t feed, heat & provide shelter to our own people.

This government is intent on "Demonising" people on benefits, setting working poor against unemployed poor, a reduction of 5% in the highest tax rate is a 5% increase in the income of the wealthiest people in the country..... a 1% increase in the £71 jobseekers allowance is a disgrace...

Old people freezing to death, children going hungry, people losing their homes, all that is acceptable to the present government.

But what is also acceptable is the continued Glorification of the Mega Wealthy, The Bonus Culture to Bankers & the sucking up to Big Business.

Food Banks are a neccessary evil in these desperate times, but they are an indictment on the social fabric of this country, what next........... The Workhouse.

Incidentally the radius for employment is a 90 minute journey on Public Transport........

I think your a well meaning decent type of fella Shane............... But Cmon

Get Real & Stop Smelling the Tory Roses......... they smell of Bull Sh*t.

[whatabouthisthen]

Sorry Stevel it seems that the guy wasn't a market trader until after the interview when he changed his description. I can't remember his previous description of himself on twitter but it was basically a bit of a wide boy with a gambling habit. When challenged about his gambling he said as he usually won what is the matter with that - how many times have we heard that from gamblers! There may be a link on the BBC. Apparently it was in a couple or so papers. I'll try and see if I can find a link.

So it looks as though the guy was a ringer, a liar or both.