He was criticised for claiming the explosion in demand for the lifeline service was down to a growth in awareness rather than the cuts
Iain Duncan Smith has been accused of being out of touch by Britain’s largest food bank charity.The Work and Pensions Secretary was criticised for claiming that the reason behind the explosion in demand for the lifeline service was a growth in awareness rather than the effect of recent benefit cuts.
He was also blasted for claiming that this was also the view of the Trussell Trust charity.
But now the Trust’s chief executive Chris Mould has accused Mr Duncan Smith of being “disingenuous”.
In a letter to Labour MP Luciana Berger, he said: “We saw a clear and strong link between benefit changes and benefit delays, and people needing help from our food banks.”
He said it would be “incredibly useful for politicians to get out and listen to those on the receiving end” of April’s welfare reforms.
And Ms Berger added: “It’s shameful that the Work and Pensions Secretary is so out of touch about why people are being forced to rely on emergency food aid.”
The row comes as thousands of Britain’s poorest children face starving this summer while schools are shut for the six-week holiday.
It means that many will miss out on a free lunch.
Charity bosses say they are now seeing children in Lancashire with pot bellies, sunken cheeks and sallow complexions like youngsters found in famine-ravaged countries.
Meanwhile in London and Bristol the charity Kids Company is
feeding 2,000 children a day.
Spokesman Laurence Guinness said: “Some children dread the
holidays because they know they will have to fend for themselves.”
By Ben Glaze in ‘The Mirror’, 11th August 2013:
