I read in the Times recently that Labour didn't allow Job Centres to refer people to food banks for fear of negative press.

Terrible hey?

The massive rise in food bank use for emergency food (ie the limit of three days rations) is a huge embarrassment to the current government, its the one statistic that bucks the message of growth and equal wealth distribution and the trickle down effect, the one statistic that points and says, "Hang on, something isn't right here".

So the current incumbents act like all politicians do and try and shout down the bad news in that well known politicians rule that if you shout loud enough and all shout together, and probably wave paper in the air too, then it will go away - the well worn explanation wheeled out on this very thread is if you give something for free then people will come and when you advertise something for free then hordes will come.

Its a dumbfook argument and is the equivalent to shouting very loud, putting your fingers in your ears and waving paper in the air for the only relevant fact required in your knowledge of what a food bank does is that its emergency food, three days rations and you can't go back again on the fourth day and in Oliver Twist style ask for more, as a ploy for a constant supply of free food its a fookin stupid idea because by Thursday you'll be hungry again.

As for advertising, do you know what the annual budget is for the Trussell Trust to advertise its food banks is ?

£0 per annum.

France is not a major economy? Really poor trolling.

www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... g-machines www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... statistics Perhaps the poorest in society who can afford to smoke and gamble can help those budget so they don't have to use foodbanks. It seems they're able to heat and eat and still have cash over to spend. And as we know the checks in place ensure only those in genuine need get referred so those happily puffing away outside Betfred before going in to stick a few quid on a nag at Haydock will never need to use them. Bloody foodbanks! What sort of country is it where people can get free supplies from charities in their hours of need, I hope it doesn't catch on, there'll be thousands of the buggers next. If we're not careful there'll be charities for cancer sufferers, children, animals. MADNESS!

www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... g-machines www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... statistics Perhaps the poorest in society who can afford to smoke and gamble can help those budget so they don't have to use foodbanks. It seems they're able to heat and eat and still have cash over to spend. And as we know the checks in place ensure only those in genuine need get referred so those happily puffing away outside Betfred before going in to stick a few quid on a nag at Haydock will never need to use them. Bloody foodbanks! What sort of country is it where people can get free supplies from charities in their hours of need, I hope it doesn't catch on, there'll be thousands of the buggers next. If we're not careful there'll be charities for cancer sufferers, children, animals. MADNESS!

So you don't care that the Labour party screwed the poor and disabled? But you do care that the Coalition do? Interesting.

Oh, and I'm sure it's written down somewhere that there has to be gestapo style interviews before the golden ticket is handed over, but humans have a tendency for "path of least resistance" thinking, so can you *really* be that d to check bank accounts, cupboards for a bag or two of penne?