Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz says the growing number of families turning to food banks for help is an indictment of the Chancellor’s autumn statement claim that his ‘economic plan is working.’
The MP recently helped local church volunteers from the Leith Food Bank with a food collection at Tesco in Leith. The food collection was organised in conjunction with food bank charity the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare. Tesco donated an extra 30% to the food bank, on top of the goods given by customers.
Mark Lazarowicz said: “The Chancellor’s economic plan is certainly not working for the families who will be forced to look to food banks for help this Christmas. Initiatives like this one in Leith show the strength of community spirit here in Edinburgh but it is an indictment that they should be needed at all.
“The Chancellor talked of ‘difficult decisions’ on spending and ‘living within our means’– parents struggling to meet fuel and food bills are all too familiar with that.
“According to Citizens Advice Scotlandhalf of those helped by food banks are in work – they will be much less sure than the Chancellor that the economy is heading in the right direction.”
The North and Leith MP is also backing the campaign by Unite, the Daily Mirror and the Trussell Trust to raise funds for food banks to help families in crisis this Christmas and to call for a Parliamentary debate on the issue.
Leith’s food bank was launched in October as the result of an initiative by local churches – the number of UK Food Banks has trebled since 2009.
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It shows Westminster isn’t working – full stop. Successive governments are to blame. Labour as much as the Tory/Lib Dem coalition.