Wow… just Wow! I must have been watching a completely different speech. To denigrate him like that just because he’s a Conservative is quite unnecessary. He was simply making a genuine and impassioned call for more recognition of the fact that there are people who can be helped with their food budgeting by learning how to prepare meals from cheap, nutritious ingredients. There was absolutely nothing “aggressive” in his tone, he was simply inviting, indeed pleading with, the denigrators to visit the food bank to see what they’re doing.
To have misinterpreted in such an unremittingly mean-spirited way what this man said just indicates that people can be so blinded by their left-wing ideology that they are unable to understand, or even listen to, another point of view. Which is such a shame.
When I read all the political threads, which I generally do, it does make me smile alot at how interpretation, belief and feelings come into play - I do actually liken it viewing a painting, as so many people see so many different meanings from the same source I do often question whether people are actually looking at/hearing the same thing
I don’t have left wing ideology so I fear that yet again it’s rather a pot and kettle situation when it comes to being blinded by ideologies…
If anyone from any party had put on that show I’d have said the same, gawd knows there are some embarrassing old windbags who don’t have the slightest clue how out of touch they are in the Labour Party.
I doubt he’s actually doing the cooking tuition himself so may not be familiar with the actual recipes. His point was well-made and didn’t need “backing up”. It would be interesting to know whether any of the denigrators on the other side of the House were willing to take him up on his offer to welcome them on a visit to the food bank and see for themselves.
I think they would far rather the Tory led Government do something more spectacular to properly address the financial crisis and the choices people have to make between heating and eating
But I would expect someone who is talking about the Foodbanks and the Cookery lessons being offered, … to be able to throw one or two named-dishes into the mix… to give an idea of what “meals” are being suggested/taught/upheld as a good example.
I’m not knocking anyone, I’m trying to find out what the meals are…
The truth probably is - he doesn’t care a flying fig about recipes or “feeding the poor”, he just wanted to be controversial in the true traditions of the current Tory mix of deflections and diversions
I think this is 100% the point. He could have spent his 8 minutes telling parliament, and the country, about what an incredible job his local food bank does, how appreciative he is of the staff/ volunteers, how great it is that local supplier ABC Vegetables supply them with tonnes of fresh produce free of charge to go to those who need it, how the local Tesco matches customers donations, etc etc, instead of using it to make constant jibes at “the other side” and attempt to minimise and make excuses about the issue, and put the blame back on the users. Some sort of humility that we really shouldn’t be in the situation we are, with the amount of need there is, while using his time to really ‘build up’ those on the ground, those he says he works there with, make them, and all food bank workers, feel really truly appreciated, and he’d have had an entirely different reception.
No one expects a mea culpa that his party have been fundamental in causing the situation, even if he believed that which I’m sure he doesn’t it’s entirely unrealistic to expect him to stand up and say so rather than toe the party line, but his sneering at the other side and pointing the finger everywhere but where it is needed was disgraceful.
Especially as he was the other side! Apparently the meals he was talking about were cooked in November last year, a Ready Steady Cook type stunt, all done in a professional kitchen and, (I’m making an assumption), perhaps supplied at discounted prices.
Just seen this, very interesting as we are going to rent out a modern 850sq ft apartment in Selby Nth Yorkshire for the first time from July and will be asking for £600 pcm…just shows how overheated some parts of the uk are
I do often question whether people are actually looking at/hearing the same thing 
