topic Re: Is this where we are heading..... in Community Spirit

Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 09:44:21 GMT

In the UK, the services of foodbanks are becoming increasingly vital in providing a lifeline to people going hungry. There is extreme pressure on poor families' budgets due to austerity and cuts, with expectations that the situation will worsen when cuts to the welfare safety net begin to bite. Trussel Trust foodbanks fed 128,687 people nationwide in 2011-12 with the figures anticipated to more than double in 2012-13.

from IA

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 10:33:55 GMT

Who would have thought that this kind of thing would be seen in the UK.

the article below was written in December last year - CPGBML - it's relevant to Australia because the UK Government has already done what the Government here are planning in the upcoming budget (and before). People can't just turn up at these food banks, it's very tightly controlled. According to reports a large percentage of families forced to turn to the food banks have members working but wages are so low that families just can't get by.

Four years ago, food banks were almost unheard of in Britain. This year, however, the Trussell Trust – Britain’s largest and only food poverty network – estimated that its food banks had assisted more than 150,000 people – 200 percent up on the year before – between the months of April and June, when benefit changes came into effect.

The trust also added that the problem has become so severe that some people using their services have handed items back, unable to afford the gas and electricity needed to cook them. Growing numbers of working people are now becoming accustomed to lives of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’.

As of August, new figures from the Citizens Advice Bureau show a 78 percent rise in enquiries about food banks in the past six months. According to a YouGov survey released in early November, 25 percent of British people are eating less meat this year than in 2012.

Further insight into the rise of food banks came in the form of a large wave of undeniable reality when in October the Red Cross initiated its first emergency food aid collections in Britain since WWII. The UK poverty director for Oxfam, Chris Johnes, emphasised the seriousness of the matter when he said “[the Red Cross] don’t do things for reasons of grandstanding at all. The fact they are doing this ... is a very clear signal of how serious things have become.”

The Red Cross concluded that austerity measures have compounded the ever-increasing problems of poverty and unemployment for large sections of working people across Europe. Statistics also indicate that more people are turning to theft to feed themselves, with retail crime losses in 2012-13 some 6.8 percent higher than in 2011-12.

Working people classified as being in ‘food poverty’ have, as a result of this dire situation, become increasingly reliant on charitable organisations to put food on the table. Rising food prices and utility bills leave many working people with little extra money once they’ve covered their essential living expenses.

Despite all this glaring evidence, the government persists in its denials and attacks against the working people – and continues to blame the poor for their poverty.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 10:47:36 GMT

a downside of a capitalist society and a meritocratic system.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 10:57:07 GMT

@crikey*mate wrote:
a downside of a capitalist society and a meritocratic system.

crikey, I had to google "meritocratic" , but no, not at all - just bad management of the economy. Even the IMF have warned the UK government on their austerity measures - pretty worrying when they are usually the mob telling Governments to slash and burn.

below from IA april 2013

Between 2004 to 2007 the Howard Government saw $334 billion of upward revisions yet still under invested in crucial sectors and sold off public assets.

Every developed nation entered recession ... expect for Australia that is.

Australia took decisive action to stem the impacts of the GFC on jobs and economic growth. The economy is now at trend growth and 926,000 jobs have been created since the GFC. An outstanding result no matter how you slice it.

This meant stimulating the economy with a significant stimulus package of around $52 billion (3% of GDP in today's terms). A response that was heralded as a model targeted and effective response by the IMF, OECD and World Bank. The OECD praised the package stating it would save 200,000 jobs.

World experts such as Nobel Prize laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz also said the stimulus "served Australia well".

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

cherry*135 — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:04:42 GMT

This year, however, the Trussell Trust – Britain’s largest and only food poverty network – estimated that its food banks had assisted more than 150,000 people – 200 percent up on the year before – between the months of April and June, when benefit changes came into effect.

Pop. UK 63.23 million (2012)

Is that an extreme number per capita? (150 000 people over 3 months).

Can the same people go to a food bank every week, for an unlimited amount of time?

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

electric*mayhem*band — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:08:40 GMT

It's perfectly true mate, Food Banks are everywhere, with most major towns and cities having at least one, and very often more. All the main Supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Waitrose, Sainsbury, etc, etc, have depositories where people can contribute to them.

I think there is a criterion though, whereby you have to be in receipt of benefits to actually obtain food from these outlets.

Meanwhile, the Politicians are living in the lap of luxury. Roll on the revolution. We haven't had a decent one since 1381.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

cherry*135 — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:11:15 GMT

According to a YouGov survey released in early November, 25 percent of British people are eating less meat this year than in 2012.

That isn't very important in the big scheme of things when discussing poverty and people who can't afford any or little food.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

freakiness — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:17:21 GMT

@crikey*mate wrote:
a downside of a capitalist society and a meritocratic system.

Meritocratic system is a bit of a misnomer.

It suggests that a bit of hard work is all it takes to make it to the top. In actual fact those born into the wealth start at the top and many of those who are not born wealthy will never make it to the top regardless of their meritorious efforts.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:22:32 GMT

@electric*mayhem*band wrote:
It's perfectly true mate, Food Banks are everywhere, with most major towns and cities having at least one, and very often more. All the main Supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Waitrose, Sainsbury, etc, etc, have depositories where people can contribute to them.

I think there is a criterion though, whereby you have to be in receipt of benefits to actually obtain food from these outlets.

Meanwhile, the Politicians are living in the lap of luxury. Roll on the revolution. We haven't had a decent one since 1381.

People will only be served at food banks if they are issued a voucher by their state-approved referee. The voucher shows the reasons for the food emergency, and the food bank trust records the data. In some cases, the voucher is printed on a red card in order to render them unsuitable for photocopying.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:23:04 GMT

I daresay it takes more than a "bit" of hard work.

hence the reference to capitalism.

But society is a meritocracy, that's how it is. Some start off higher up the ladder and fall, others can and do transcend social and cultural barriers.

In a meritocratic society, there is no equality. Some succeed, some fail. and some never change. It's how it is.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:26:08 GMT

@am*3 wrote:
According to a YouGov survey released in early November, 25 percent of British people are eating less meat this year than in 2012.

That isn't very important in the big scheme of things when discussing poverty and people who can't afford any or little food.

Maybe to you it isn't am, meat is an important part of a healthy balanced diet for most people, myself for one. Whenever I don't eat red meat for even a few weeks my iron levels fall dangerously low, and we are talking about the UK, a leading advanced capitalist country, not an undeveloped nation.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:29:50 GMT

meritocratic, kind of sounds like "political correctness" - terms made up by the conservatives to cover up some of their worst excesses.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:31:45 GMT

then you may need to read your marx books again

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

boris1gary — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:39:17 GMT

hahah, you could be right, I prefer Lenin as a "read" and a British Commo who is still writing, the last Marx I read "Genesis of Capital", (last week) was the first Marx i have read in about 5 years.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

electric*mayhem*band — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:40:38 GMT

@am*3 wrote:
According to a YouGov survey released in early November, 25 percent of British people are eating less meat this year than in 2012.

Probably due to the Horse Meat scare we had last year.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

cherry*135 — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:43:25 GMT

Is this where we are heading.....

I am wondering if we are already there boris. 2.2m people in Australia living in poverty..

Also, I find it astonishing that Foodbanks are a fairly new thing in the UK, almost unheard of up to 4 years ago.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

cherry*135 — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:44:06 GMT

emb

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

cherry*135 — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:48:11 GMT

@boris1gary wrote:
@am*3 wrote:
According to a YouGov survey released in early November, 25 percent of British people are eating less meat this year than in 2012.

That isn't very important in the big scheme of things when discussing poverty and people who can't afford any or little food.
Maybe to you it isn't am, meat is an important part of a healthy balanced diet for most people, myself for one. Whenever I don't eat red meat for even a few weeks my iron levels fall dangerously low, and we are talking about the UK, a leading advanced capitalist country, not an undeveloped nation.

Me and many others, people can't afford to eat it every day here. A first world country.

It just says eating less meat, not none. They may still eat meat a few days a week.

Lots of vegetarians and vegans remain healthy without eating any meat.

If people can't afford to buy their own food and can get veges, fruit, bread and a little meat from a food bank, they would be thankful for that.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

spotweldersfriend — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:48:29 GMT

I'm with you.A few Dealey Plazas wouldn't go astray.

Re: Is this where we are heading.....

amber-eyed-girl — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:51:53 GMT

The survey regarding meat consumption needs to be put into perspective.

Last year, there was a little scandal you should all have heard about...ponies in raw red meat and meat products, widespread, within the U.K. For years this was happening, on a massive scale.

Including racehorses.

The sale of poultry shot up and the sale of red meat plummeted in the U.K., as with a chicken you can tell what it is you are buying.

Red meat is an important part of a balanced diet, and a change away from it can quickly reduce iron levels unless there is a rise in intake in other iron rich foods or a supplement. But red meat and paté are expensive, if you are on a tight budget.

Just saying that the timing of the survey shows that there are other factors involved.

The British were disgusted by the scandal.

There are healthy vegetarians, but they will be on a diet with lots of iron containing vegies 🙂