Families become so poor they are forced to turn to food banks because of their own ‘decisions’, Michael Gove has claimed.
The Education Secretary argued that people who find themselves unable to buy essentials, including food and school uniforms have themselves to blame for being unable ‘to manage their finances’.
The remarks were condemned by Labour and ‘insulting and out of touch’.
Tasty Food Abundance in Healthy Europe (Photo credit:
epSos.de)
Ministers have previously argued that a surge in demand has in part being fuelled by jobcentre staff being allowed to refer the unemployed to food banks for help.
Cuts to benefits, frozen or falling wages and rising living costs have been blamed in part for some people struggling to make ends meet.
Mr Gove was challenged over reports that one in four parents are having to borrow to pay for school uniforms and some food banks were distributing uniforms to struggling parents.
He said he had recently visited a food bank in his Surrey Health constituency.
But he suggested that many cash-strapped families have brought their problems on themselves.
He added: ‘I appreciate that there are families who face considerable pressures.
‘Those pressures are often the result of decisions that they have taken which mean they are not best able to manage their finances.
‘We need to ensure that support is not just financial, and that the right decisions are made.’
Full Story – Daily Mail
