Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill

Debate between Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Mhairi Black

Friday 2nd December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mhairi Black]

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. As I have said multiple times in this Chamber and outside it, one of the things that saddens and depresses me most about the society we live in just now is the fact that use of the phrase “food banks” has become normal. Although we should support our food banks, they are now considered to be a legitimate add-on to the state and people are told that they should just go to them.

[Sue Hayman (Workington) (Lab)]

I thank the hon. Lady for making that important point. Tomorrow I will support Tesco in a neighbourhood food collection. It is fantastic that Tesco is doing that, but is it not shocking that in today’s society we are having a public collection of food for people?

[Mhairi Black]

The idea that individuals and citizens in our society are reliant solely on the charity of others to eat and to feed their children shows that we are sliding backwards down a hill to Victorian times.