Yesterday during Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron responded to a question on food banks by claiming that the use of food banks increased "ten times under Labour". When Cameron says this he is factually correct. He is being totally disingenuous, however.
Yesterday during Prime Minister’s Questions, David Cameron responded to a question by claiming that the use of food banks had increased “ten times under Labour“.
When Cameron says this he is factually correct. He is being totally disingenuous, however.
As the chart below shows, the number of people using foodbanks in 2005/06 – five years after the first one opened in Salisbury – had increased “ten times” by the time Labour left office in 2010. By more than ten times, actually; the real figure is closer to a seventeen fold increase.
What David Cameron fails to mention, however, is that whereas under the previous government the number of people using foodbanks gradually climbed over five years, under the coalition this figure has shot up dramatically – to 128,697 last year, an increase of 4,573% on the figures for 2005. (see the Trussell Trust graph below).
In terms of the number of foodbanks (as opposed to the number of people using them), the next graph below shows the rate at which they have increased in the last nine years. I don’t think it requires any further comment from me.
38 Responses to “David Cameron is being totally disingenuous on food banks”
SadButMadLad
I can only read into the numbers by what I can see. Tell me that the numbers cater for people claiming multiple times. Until you do, then you have failed. It’s up to you to prove the numbers back up your case. I don’t. I’ve just given some arguments about the numbers could be saying.
Newsbot9
That’s right, you’re reading your own bias into the numbers. Rather than actually looking at them. Keep claiming my inability to reprogram your brain is a “failure”.
You’re making up attacks on the poor, coming here and lying, because you’re a troll. No other reason.
jj
Well in the same rhetoric apply the one person one claim same person claiming and being counted again to figures both last and current government AND you still have a huge increase.
jj
Sorry prices have shot up in supermarkets or if they have remained the same then the packets /portions have become smaller. A full 5 years ago including amounts of alcohol usually came in at £90 for myself – now minus the alcohol its closer to £140. My cupboards are full of own brand labels I buy end of life products and make good use of all that we have but its getting a damn site harder.
Newsbot9
Let me repeat – no, there is none in your attempt to lie and steal food from the poor.