To this this is just another example of Tory ignorance ?

[DotAndCarryOne2]

Tory MP Lee Anderson has been appointed deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Heard a BBC radio interview with him this morning which revisited his remarks of last year and he is unrepentant:

Said he would challenge the assumption anyone earning £30,000 to £35,000 needed to use a food bank. Doesn’t accept that nurses and firefighters need to use a food banks and has challenged the journalist to find a nurse or a fireman in his constituency - Ashfield in Nottinghamshire - earning over £32,500 who was using one.

He seems to be under the impression that anyone can rock up at a food bank - either than or he doesn’t understand the referral system, or even worse, thinks it’s somehow dishonest. He’s saying it’s a matter of budgeting and learning how to cook from scratch.

So AIBU to think that he’s not just out of touch, but wilfully ignorant of the plight of many people in this country as a direct result of the mess the Tories have made of things. And are there any nurses or firefighters out there in his constituency who have been referred to and are using a food bank, and are willing to call him out ?

Tbh I don't really get the food bank thing.

Nurses/firefighters can be woefully under paid and not be using a food bank

A tory mp trying to argue that nurses aren't underpaid because it's rare for them to need a Foodbank is about right though for their level of stupidity

I don’t want to be a dick but a few years ago I was earning a lot less than that and I couldn’t use a food bank because I wasn’t allowed to because I earned too much. I haven’t heard his interview and don’t care to, I’m also not a Tory supporter/voter but I’d imagine he’s correct that no one earning that amount in his constituency is using a food bank because they probably aren’t meeting the requirements to do so. I’m not saying that they aren’t struggling financially, just that they aren’t hitting the threshold to access a food bank.

He’s right. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The average salary is £34k but it’s very skewed by London/SE. That’s a good salary here in the NW. Some people need to learn to cook/budget/not tell fibs to suit their political agendas.

Also, not all nurses earn 32k or anywhere near it

Nursing assistants earn between 21 and 22k full time

The max a registered nurse band 5 will earn (basic) is 32 k full time

Most nurses arent full time

Food bank use is not the issue

Good point.

There are several food banks near me that sprung up during covid that don't need referrals. You can just pop in and get food.

Is it factually correct to say 'most nurses don't work full time'? Never heard that before. If it's correct then surely if you're having financial issues, just work full time like the rest of us have to. We are desperately short of nursing staff so there can be no argument that there isnt the opportunity to go full time. (If it's not right then this is irrelevant, please ignore me!)

It’s a tragedy that some people earn so little that they need to rely on food banks.

But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people out there taking advantage of the system, who need to make economies elsewhere or put in the effort to eat sensibly. Especially if they are on a decent wage.

@Obbydoo

Like the rest of us? Around 50 % of women work less than full time.

However, I've just googled and the amount of nurses working full time (about 60%) is more than I thought.

By working, I actually meant contracted hours. Most nurses are working well over and above their hours (estimated to be up to a day a week) for free.

And lots do bank and agency too.

People, women especially, who work part time usually do so because they have other care commitments.

I doubt its always as easy as increase to full contracted hours

And yes, we are desperate for nurses. That doesnt mean trusts or the govt actually want to pay for them though

I agree with him.

I'm in that same earning bracket (husband too) and I although times are definitely tough, I don't need to use a food bank. Although nurses deserve more money, I get annoyed when I hear this story in the media so much as I do wonder how much of it is left wing propaganda.

If you're going to a food bank on 35k then there's something seriously wrong with your outgoings. You're also taking food away from people who earn much less than nurses.

Food banks never used to exist, and people managed. As soon as you create something like this, there's just a sense of expectation and the system gets abused and used as ammunition for political gain.

Oh good, ANOTHER thread on this one man. Do people ever check the "active" list before starting a thread? Still, yay for Tory bashing

He's another piece of tory shite. They couldn't care less and are hoping to kill off a few million poor people as it wold save money. Seriously no one here could ever possibly vote tory.

I don’t wish to sound attacking or get into an argument. But that means you have a household income of close to £70k.
Not every household can / has a double income. I know the current norm is that it is expected that households have at least 2 incomes, but what about single parents, families where one person is unable to work?
A nurse on £35k who is the sole earner for a family would be the equivalent of you taking a 50% pay cut. Could you manage on that with a little budgeting?
Like I said, don’t want to start an argument, but you can’t really compare your situation to people who are struggling

With all due respect to your point, you’re not in the £35k bracket, your household income is £70k.

If I was a single parent nurse on 35k with a child in full time child care and another using wrap around I think I might well be looking to use a food bank if/when an unexpected bill can in (car failing MOT, washing machine dying etc)...But yeah painting it as if lots of nurses are using did banks isn't helpful. They need to be paid more anyway if we agree going to make any headway on haemorrhaging the staff we do have let alone recruiting anyone to the profession.....

Many people live beyond their means. So much is available on credit these days that people are living lifestyles previously unobtainable. Before the recent rises they were fine paying things off weekly or monthly, but now food & fuel is more expensive, they are struggling to pay for the things they could never afford to buy outright before but cheap finance allowed them to think they could.
As @inky1991 said; if you’re earning 35k and can’t afford food, you’re doing something wrong!

This was based on an interview this morning, in which the same arguments were regurgitated - along with advocating for the death penalty to be review because ‘no one ever commits another crime after they’ve had the death penalty’ !!

With all due respect to your point, you’re not in the £35k bracket, your household income is £70k.

Sure, but we are potentially comparing a single parent nurse on 35k to a single parent on minimum wage or universal credit etc. Food banks should be for the destitute, and I believe they're getting abused by people who aren't destitute.

Food is obviously horrendously expensive at the moment, so we need to tackle inflation. However basic food shops can be done on the 35k salary we are discussing. This isn't to say I don't understand that times are difficult now. Like many people, I'm really having to change what I eat and how I shop.

Why not comment on the other thread about him?

If 30p Lee had an unblemished reputation he could perhaps be believable. However, he doesn't. He's cowboy who manipulated people/situations to reach where he is and was probably chosen because he's a bit of a loudmouth.