Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Archbishop of Canterbury challenges Freud on food banks

Justin Welby vs Lord Freud

The Archbishop of Canterbury has publicly questioned claims by a Tory minister that charities are somehow to blame for increased in food bank use. Speaking on Radio 4′s Today programme, Justin Welby said that 35% of referrals to church-run food banks came from social services, who had assessed users as in need of emergency food aid.

As Scrapbook reported last week, millionaire Lord Freud shocked colleagues by claiming that food bank use could be “supply led” — i.e. that charities, rather than government austerity policies and unemployment, were driving demand. The former investment banker told peers:
“If you put more food banks in, that is the supply. Clearly, food from the food banks is a free good and by definition with a free good there’s almost infinite demand.”
This is the second time that Freud has been on the receiving end from a clergyman over the remarks.

He was bashed by the Bishop (of Truro) last Wednesday.

Political Scrapbook