[Closed] David Mundell (Scotland's only Tory MP) Opening Food Bank. WTAF!

A Trussell Trust press release announcing Mr Mundell's visit states that welfare reform is causing hardship for individuals and families, and that benefit changes are one of the underlying causes of poverty.

So the Trussell Trust are merely describing it as a "visit". Presumably if has to be officially "opened" by someone then it's the Trussell Trust who decides who that person will be.

Yes, they will have invited him to open it, but he did not need to accept that invitation. Accepting it shows how completely out of touch with reality he really is.

What makes it worse I believe is that this lot are coming to town and encroaching on groups who are already providing a service!
https://localgiving.com/charity/first-base-agency
Bit of balance? http://www.dgwgo.com/regional-news/dg-mp-praises-work-food-banks-volunteers/
http://www.thefoodtrain.co.uk
https://dagcas.org/press-release-help-for-regions-residents-struggling-with-food-poverty/
http://www.itv.com/news/border/2015-07-22/controversy-as-conservative-mp-agrees-to-open-foodbank/
There is a newsagent across the street from that shop. Recipients of food parcels(some)cross the road and try to exchange goods for cash!

Well if he's claiming that Tory government policy is not responsible for the recent growth of food banks, as apparently he is, then it makes perfect sense that he should agree to open one.

However if the Trussell Trust claims that Tory government policy is responsible for the recent growth of food banks, as apparently they are, then it makes no sense at all that they should invite a Tory politician to open one.

anything that puts another nail in his own coffin is good with me!

really do feel for those living on the breadline, an improvement in employment prospects in this region is bleak...

[url= http://crichtoninstitute.co.uk/index.php/component/joomdoc/Reports/Poverty%20And%20Deprivation%20In%20Dumfries%20And%20Galloway.pdf/download ]Poverty study for D&G[/url]

properbikeco - Member
anything that puts another nail in his own coffin is good with me!

really do feel for those living on the breadline, an improvement in employment prospects in this region is bleak...

D&G seems to be to Scottich Gov what Northern Eng is to Westminster 🙄

Awaiting a response from the ghost; http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/richard-arkless/4387

Are you sure it is true though ? I mean, given the much stated bias of the BBC, they might have made it all up. Or are they only biased when they report stuff that doesn't favour SNP and/or Yes campaign ?

Has the man got no shame?

He's a Tory, you really need to ask?

Why would the BBC make it up, are they bias towards the SNP? I dont live in Scotland so dont know.

The BBC are/were biased AGAINST the SNP/Yes Campaign.

Maybe the Trussell Trust invited Mundell along to make a point and has duly obliged not realising the irony of it.

Damn if he does ... damn if he don't

"Conservative MP shuns food bank"

What an uncaring Tory ahole !?!

Maybe the Trussell Trust invited Mundell along to make a point and has duly obliged not realising the irony of it.

I hope that this is the case.

I imagine they invited him along because he is the local MP and gosh I don't know, might be able to help them ? I didn't vote for him, but the majority of people in the electorate did, like it or hate it.

Her certainly helped us when we were working hard to bring international mtb events to the Borders, wrote some letters to some people for us. So not a total waste of oxygen.

In other news; Ian Duncan Smith is also going manning the phones for the Samaritans, providing counselling for people considering suicide aftr having their benefits stopped

[url= http://marksimonfrankland.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/the-ugly-side-of-foodbank-game.html?m=1 ]Mark Frankland local foodbank manager[/url]

It would appear that Mr Mundell was sent packing today and had to leave via the rear of the building....

benefit changes are [b]one[/b] of the underlying causes of poverty

That's interesting - wonder what else their research shows, given that they really are the experts in the field?

As above, he'd be condemned whether he did or he didn't. What food do you serve the local bigwigs at a food bank opening?

I didn't vote for him, but the majority of people in the electorate did, like it or hate it.

40% of the people who voted in that constituency voted for him - 60% voted for someone else.

(Apologies for the source)

[url= http://www.express.co.uk/politics/politicians/conservative/david-mundell/281 ]Those results in full[/url]

EDIT: If you include people eligible to vote, only 30% wanted him - the other 70% either wanted someone else or didn't vote at all..

http://www.westsoundradio.com/localnews/david-mundell-flees-foodbank-opening/

Ewan Gurr, their network manager in Scotland, admitted it had been seen as a controversial move.

Meanwhile, here's the protestors
[img] [/img]

benefit changes are one of the [u]underlying causes[/u] of poverty

Isn't that somewhat putting the cart before the horse?

40% of the people who voted in that constituency voted for him - 60% voted for someone else.

What a strange comment - do the SNP remain somehow 'invalid' with only 49.997% of the popular Scottish vote??

EDIT: If you include people eligible to vote, only 30% wanted him - the other 70% either wanted someone else or didn't vote at all..

SNP only took 35% of the total Scottish electorate, so 65% either wanted someone else or didn't vote at all.

@ gordimhor - thank you for that link, I had no idea that the Trussell Trust were involved in franchise. Interesting piece.

What a strange comment

What? That someone said the MP was voted for by a majority of the electors, and I had a look into that, discovered that it wasn't the case, and reported back with that fact? Not sure why that's strange?

over half the voters in Scotland voted for the SNP, so by that standard do they al remain somehow 'invalid'?

Now THAT's a strange comment. What standard? Where in my post is there any judgement as to any votes, for any party, being 'invalid'? Whatever you think I've said, I suggest you re-read my post, because you seem to have responded to something that you've imagined I said?

Slightly hesitant to share this given that you will doubtless read something more into my posting it, but since I'm in a pedantic / fact checking mood anyway, the SNP would have needed another 797 votes for your statement that

over half the voters in Scotland voted for the SNP

to be true.

You're welcome.

EDIT: Nice edit there..

What a strange comment - do the SNP remain somehow 'invalid' with only 49.997% of the popular Scottish vote??

Why do you deliberately misread posts Z-11 ?

No one said anything about 'invalid'.

Someone claimed : [i]"I didn't vote for him, but the majority of people in the electorate did"[/i]

And then someone else pointed out that the majority of the electorate hadn't voted for him, which is of course correct.

You're the one making "strange comments" Z-11, as you desperately seek excuses to slag-off the SNP.

@Edlong yes, you could probably see that was a typo from the fact that we both know the SNP got a minority of the Scottish vote

another 797 votes

So near, but yet so far 😆

@Ernie - Hels's meaning was pretty clear...

So Z-11 what's your views on food banks, the reasons for their growth, and Tory ministers opening them, since this is what this thread is about, not the SNP ?

Have you got any ?

If you have don't be shy......share them won't you.

Why shouldn't tories support food banks?

Didn't a great woman once state that It was our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour - isn't that exactly what we have seen happening?

Or had you forgotten that 'no government can do anything except through people'? Alms for the poor predated Socialism by over a thousand years!

Food banks are proof perfect that in the absence of state intervention, poor people don't have to starve to death! Wonderful isn't it? All those decades of the left harping on about the need for big government, shot down in a few years by the good will of the people.

See, Cameron has proved it - there is such thing as society after all!

Food banks are proof perfect that in the absence of state intervention, poor people don't have to starve to death! Wonderful isn't it? All those decades of the left harping on about the need for big government, shot down in a few years by the good will of the people.

So you think food banks are a really good idea and you're clearly very pleased to see them, presumably to would like to see a lot more.

Remind us again ...... you're a very strong supporter of the Conservative Party aren't you ?

BTW I have no idea what this refers to : [i]"left harping on about the need for big government"[/i] with regards to food banks. What the left "harps" on about is the need for people to receive at least a living wage and not have to rely on food banks.

Food banks are proof perfect that in the absence of state intervention, poor people don't have to starve to death! Wonderful isn't it? All those decades of the left harping on about the need for big government, shot down in a few years by the good will of the people.

The sign of a civilised society is how it treats its weakest members. The rise in food banks shows that the people are civilised, but the government isn't.

the need for people to receive at least a living wage and not have to rely on food banks.

perhaps you would like to point me to a country where the provision of a living wage or even a socialist/redistrubutative government ended poverty?

The sign of a civilised society is how it treats its weakest members. The rise in food banks shows that the people are civilised, but the government isn't.

+1

perhaps you would like to point me to a country where the provision of a living wage or even a socialist/redistrubutative government ended poverty?

Perhaps you would like to point me to a reason that foodbank proliferation is something for the government to be proud of. Because any right thinking individual would only see that view point as completely ****ed up.

Number of people reporting not enough money to buy food has dropped vs. pre-crisis

Sauce: [url= http://www.oecd.org/unitedkingdom/OECD-SocietyAtaGlance2014-Highlights-UnitedKingdom.pdf ]OECD[/url]

And France has more food banks than the UK, serving many, many more meals:

http://www.english.rfi.fr/economy/20131125-one-million-people-get-charity-food-france

Is that because the Socialist Government there does not care about the poor?

Because any right thinking individual would only see that view point as completely **** up.

I'm sure he's just trolling.

I'm sure he's just trolling.

I'm sure he's just a self-centred idiot.

perhaps you would like to point me to a country where the provision of a living wage or even a socialist/redistrubutative government ended poverty?

You are not aware of any examples where government policy has significantly reduced poverty ? Really ?

Just look at British history over the last couple of hundred years for examples.

And you can also find examples where government policy has significantly increased poverty and inequality.

To suggest that it's 'all in the lap of the gods', as you obviously are, is bollocks.

But even a Tory troll like you knows that.

People are the masters of their own destiny. I dont blame Blair, Brown or Cameron for my purchases, job decisions or where I decide to live.

Why is it always a Politicians problem when your life doesnt pan out.

If you must blame your parents for their parenting skills, then yourself for not working hard at school.

If migrants can come here with nothing, work hard and put second generation through Uni etc why cant people who live here? Stop blaming others.

I came from a bad background, left home at 16, ate boiled potatoes, boiled pasta and milk for months. I put myself through uni and blamed no one.

Sick of the blame culture prevalent and 'its not my fault its the politicians'.

I dont blame Blair, Brown or Cameron for my purchases, job decisions or where I decide to live.

Why would you ? What has that got to do with the subject matter of the thread ?

Or are you suggesting that the prosperity of the nation and the health of the economy has nothing to do with politicians ?

If so Blair, Brown, and Cameron, would very strongly disagree with you.

EDIT : Now that I've seen that hora has edited his post and added to it to make it look even more stupid, I regret responding 🙁

C'mon Ernie, you said that a living wage would end reliance on food banks

How did socialisms many versions of the 'workers paradise' get on with delivering full bellies to the masses?

They do not affect your life on a daily basis. Giving up does. Dependency on the social system, adjusting your life to maximise child credits does.

We worked out that if mrsh stopped working, cancel out the need for nursery fees etc basically the government would subsidise her enough to not bother working. Even more so if we had a second child. She decided to keep working though and not play the system thtough tax credits. Many that we know of decided otherwise. Why is that right?

Food banks- alot will have genuine cases but alot of people will 'click' that they can get alot of thrir weekly food groceries for free saving their weekly benefits for other things.

Wouldnt you? Its called playing the system.

I'm sure the Labour Party pays you to make the Tories look stupid ninfan.

Playing the man not the ball again Ernie? Quelle surprise!

Whereas for an old Marxist like you, we only have to look to Gdansk and Gdynia to see why your theories don't work.

Sick of the blame culture prevalent and 'its not my fault its the politicians'.

Only the blue labour boys hora, especially north of the wall. And now these same boys have just caused a 10% decline in London property prices. It's a scandal

Im out BTW- plenty of people have becone institutionalised on benefits beit the poor and middle class mothers now complaining that theyll have to start working again.

I'll say this again- we'd have been in the same £££ position if mrsH quit her fulltime job and also played the system. Madness, 'more children in poverty'. Right- start by having less children. People need to start taking responsibility for their lives not blame 'the Tories'.

This is the situation that I'm about to be faced with. Previous job was £25k/yr until that contract ended. I had £300/month on travelling expenses out of that. Ex-wife is moving out and I'm keeping this house. It's socil housing and the rent is £400/month and council tax is £100/month. If I get another job on the same money I will be expected to pay roughly £350/month in child support for my kids.

The alternative option is to go on benefits and have housing and council tax paid for me and not need to pay child support. It's an attractive option as i would give me a hell of a lot of free time to enjoy life.

Is this the problem o welfare being to high? No, is it hell.

Is it a problem of wages being way too ****ing low - yes it is. Twelve pounds per hour to teach people to walk again and save lives regularly. There's something not right there.

BTW I'll be taking the work option as I am not shirking my responsibilities.

oh god another ernie/ninfan posting the same old drivel at each other thread. Have either of you ever thought about stepping outside and getting a bit of a life instead of just posting the same predictable pish over and over again?
Or get a room and consumate your relationship?

Right- start by having less children.

ChubbyBlokeInLycra - Member

oh god another ernie/ninfan posting the same old drivel at each other thread. Have either of you ever thought about stepping outside and getting a bit of a life instead of just posting the same predictable pish over and over again?
Or get a room and consumate your relationship?
Posted 21 minutes ago # Report-Post

An interesting and doubtlessly useful contribution to the thread chubby. As was the posting of a pic of Hitler of course.

But have you got anything to say about food banks ?

Goodwins Law! That's that discussion ended by todays idiot.

Personally I am amazed that if people give food away for free, and publicise the places that they do it from, that more and more people will use them.

It's amazing, who'd have thought it?

Personally I am amazed that if people give food away for free, and publicise the places that they do it from, that more and more people will use them.

It's amazing, who'd have thought it?

Except that's bollocks. People aren't using foodbanks because they can't be bothered going to Tescos, they're doing it because they're desperate - walking miles, enduring the shame of it, having to be given vouchers to get something to eat. It's not a lifestyle choice.

Personally I am amazed that if people give food away for free, and publicise the places that they do it from, that more and more people will use them.

It's amazing, who'd have thought it?

Except that it's not as simple as just turning up and helping yourself to 'free food'.

[i]"Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, CAB and police identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Foodbanks partner with a wide range of care professionals who are best placed to assess need and make sure that it is genuine."[/i]

http://www.trusselltrust.org/how-it-works

People are the masters of their own destiny...If migrants can come here with nothing, work hard and put second generation through Uni etc why cant people who live here? Stop blaming others.

[img] [/img]

The problem we have is that the minimum/living wage is inadequate for most people to get by on, especially housing costs, which in turn are the results of 30 years of ****ed up housing policy.

You then have politicians promising to get people out of poverty and failing to address these two fundamental issues. So they set up a system of benefits and credits to make up the shortfall and provide a safety net for kids, which undermines the need to learn/work/earn for some recipients.

No idea how to square the circle, just my observations of the system, having seen it from both sides as a recipient and working in the benefit system.