Sometimes photos just don’t fit the message. Fit the mood. Fit the anger. Fit the shame which I feel towards my country and it’s government.

This week over 320 Government MPs stopped a proposal to extend a free school meal scheme to help thousands of our young ones. Just for a few months during these troubled times. Many families are struggling. Over 2 million children in our supposedly rich country are living in poverty. A significant proportion of those are frequently going hungry. Yes our so called government voted against ensuring our children don’t go hungry this Christmas. Let that thought just sink in.

How could they do that…. They trotted out carefully managed soundbites

**********

We want to return to good old British Values (Victorian)

It’s not our responsibility

Why should we nationalise children

It’s up to the parent to take responsibility

Parents would only spend the money on cigarettes and alcohol

Why are you questioning us, our way is right

Poverty doesn’t exist, it’s all a conspiracy

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Let’s not forget that this comes from MPs who didn’t have any hang ups about giving themselves a generous pay increase just a few weeks ago. From a PM who complained that he struggled to maintain his lifestyle on his £150000 a year salary. From MPs who are in no financial need, some have net worths of over £120 million. From the likes of one Cabinet Minister who can afford to send 5 children to an £18000 a year per pupil exclusive private school.

Thankfully we still have good people here. A young Premier League footballer who went hungry as a child is leading the fight back. Scores of individuals and businesses are stepping up to try and help. They care. Doctors and Teachers are backing the campaign. Even the Government’s own Children Commissioner calls the fact that children are going hungry as ‘horrific’ and ‘the attitude is like something from an Oliver Twist novel’.

Sadly our Government do not care. They have no morals. This is the same Government that has slashed the overseas aid budget which tries to help those in even deeper poverty around the world. They bring shame on our country. The hope is that one day a reckoning does come and we then find leaders who care.

80 thoughts on “Children going hungry”

  1. My daughter asked me the other day if we are middle class. I had to burst her bubble that income wise, we are 100% below poverty level. People have this notion that for one to live in poverty you can’t have a place to live or own a car, but it’s a fallacy.

    I am not sure how they distribute food benefits there but here, they cover only food. You can’t even buy diapers with them, let alone cigarettes and booze.

    I heard about poor Boris not being able to exist with a child on $150k a year and it sickened me. Trump called the Whitehouse a dump when he moved in. The wealthy really don’t have a bloody clue. Good to know some are still decent enough to fight these vile powers that be.

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    1. By the government’s own website, we are in severe poverty. There are only two of us, and apart from Hubby’s disability (which was reduced by 60% last year because he can touch his finger to his thumb in an assessment test) we get no help. We live frugally on our work’s pensions, and our heating/energy bill is below the national average, but not more than 10% of our income. We pay £46 pm for both and our budget is ‘on track’.
      We are not eligible for a state pension for another two years but because we live to a strict budget on our limited income, we manage pretty well. That would not be the case if we had children, rent or a mortgage to pay. The bar stewards running our country do not care about the people. They get free meal and expenses, and have no idea of the real world or how so many families struggle. Ian Duncan Smith had the audacity to say he could live on £50 a week, but that was AFTER essential bills, food, and local taxes were met. I offered to do his accounts for a year for him to prove that. Guess what, I heard nothing. As for Boris not being able to live on £150K, he should try on less than a tenth of that….. for two!

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  3. ” Not our responsibility”… wth do they believe IS their responsibility?@?!?

    The footballer, and increasing pressure for Boris to meet him, made news here.

    Did you see that we have 545 immigrant kids, who were forced into detention centers without their parents, who’s parents now can’t be found?!?

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  5. Same here, wealthy politicians spending taxpayer money on themselves but extremely miserly with help for struggling citizens. The way they continue to dicker over a coronavirus stimulus package is obscene!

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  6. There is a definite corruption going on in governments these days – I mean what else can you call it? It is distressing and it will only stop when even people let their opinions be known. It is tax payer monies – not the governments to use to line their pockets and those of their wealthy cronies, because by voting themselves an increase in pay that’s what they’re doing.. It really is sickening and maddening too.

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  7. OMG This is absolute ca ca! What the bloody hell??????? Like really???? I am speechlessed. Speechlessed I tell ya! I cannot believe that your government was elected over again. Sounds like well never mind is Guy Fawkes day not coming up soon???? Hugs. 🙂

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  9. So, this is not an American dilemma only, but a worldwide problem of the rich running governments and then enriching themselves and donors but having no empathy for the poor or even the middle class. I don’t know how they sleep at night, but I reckon being so callous doesn’t faze them one bit. How sad a commentary on the human condition.

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  11. It’s devastating to me that the USA and the UK, both countries to which I have allegiance have made me feel such shame. I just cannot believe that in the 21st century there can have been such a reversal of ethics. I suppose it is the chaos theory in action. Hopefully it will implode and then resolve into something civilized once more. My head hasn’t stopped aching since I can’t remember when.

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  14. The only solace is that this disgusting greed and lifestyle built on money cannot sustain itself. It WILL implode. I just hope the narcissistic maniacs don’t take the entire Earth down with them.

    No one… NO ONE should be hungry! Not with all the food going in bins, or rotting because it’s better financially for the farmer to take the loss than give the food away.
    Capitalism is failing… good riddance!

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    2. This is why each week I go to the Fareshare community share, for without taking this food home and using it, the supermarket would just send it to landfill. I used to go dumpster diving at the local Co-op, but the manager threatened me with calling the police. The world to me is weird, but maybe I’m weird and the world is fine. If I am weird, good, for I do not want to be normal if normal is letting good food go to waste in a world full of kids going without.

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  24. It seems crazy that leadership on this issue has to come from a soccer player.
    I sincerely hope that Marcus Rashford scores his greatest goal on the political field as the government seems intent on being off side.
    Pardon me for butting in from Ireland but there is huge coverage of it here.

    Liked by 1 person

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