The Trussell Trust is one of the organisations that provide food banks. They have repeatedly asked IDS and his band of Merry Gangsters for a meeting. IDS, his fellow Ministers and the DWP have so far refused to meet them. Trussell Trust want to highlight the impact that welfare reform has had on the numbers of people seeking assistance. IDS and co believe that there is no connection. They believe that it is pretty much the Trussell Trust's fault because the Trust has opened food banks. Presumably, IDS believes that if there were no food banks there would be no poverty.
A bit like the old 'if you build it they will come' only distorted through a tory lens.
The tories are a bit resistant to publishing any evidence that might refute the position of the Trust. Perhaps that's because there is none. Even tory research seems to suggest that food poverty has increased dramatically since the tories started messing about with the welfare state. Food poverty is only one way that poverty shows itself
IDS' response to the Trust has demonstrated once again the general arrogance and ignorance of those who are in charge of the DWP. He condemns the Trust for being 'political'.
"Duncan Smith began his reply by criticising the "political messaging of your organisation", which "despite claiming to be nonpartisan" had "repeatedly sought to link the growth in your network to welfare reform". He said his department's record in processing benefit claims had improved and should do so further with the introduction of universal credit.
He rejected any suggestion that the government was to blame. "I strongly refute this claim and would politely ask you to stop scaremongering in this way. I understand that a feature of your business model must require you to continuously achieve publicity, but I'm concerned that you are now seeking to do this by making your political opposition to welfare reform overtly clear."
Well, here's a newsflash, Mr IDS - food poverty is political. Poverty, in whatever form it manifests itself, is political.
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