Renfrewshire Councillor Robert Innes is calling on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to produce a plan to eradicate food poverty and the need for food banks in Renfrewshire.
The Linwood representative is asking councillors to back a motion, later today, for Renfrewshire Council to write to the Labour leader requesting he puts a plan into action to reduce food poverty in Renfrewshire.
Austerity measures that have been inflicted on Renfrewshire over the last decade and more have seen record numbers of people need to use a food bank service locally. It was reported last year that the local food bank in Paisley was having to open up at night as people in work were having to use the service after their shift had ended.
Recent announcements from the Labour UK Government such as the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment that is going to leave thousands of pensioners out of pocket with astronomical heating bills this winter, and the refusal to end Tory policies such as the two child cap, has made Councillor Innes question the intentions of the UK Government.
Cllr Robert Innes said: “Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar said during the General Election we would have no more austerity under Labour. Since July Prime Minister Keir Starmer has brought in cuts for pensioners, refused to scrap the rape clause and pledged to root out benefit fraudsters.”
“Nevermind the tax avoiders or the loop holes, nevermind the billionaires or the irrelevant peers that cost taxpayers millions sitting in the House of Lords, nevermind the failing UK Welfare system that needs serious reform, let’s just ignore the EU and the single market while food prices continue to be unrealistic. It’s a complete farce, I knew Labour would under deliver, it’s what they do, but I didn’t think it would be this bad this quickly. “
“Instead of accepting dodgy gifts of clothes and tickets to football matches, what the PM should do is put a plan in place to end the scourge of food poverty that is plaguing our society. Food banks are not normal and never should be, we live in a country with immense wealth and opportunity and nobody should have to go to bed hungry, or have to go looking for food handouts.”
“I am asking my fellow councillors to join with me in asking Renfrewshire Council to write to the Prime Minister to produce this plan and tell us how he is going to eradicate food poverty and end the use for food banks in Renfrewshire once and for all.”