PM should get a swift reality check

IT IS obscene that so many families cannot afford food.

But it’s a harsh reality that needs to be confronted.

The figures are stark. An astonishing 48 per cent increase in people attending Trussell Trust food banks in December compared to the rest of the year.

All over the country, people are gearing up for festivities. Meanwhile, at the food bank, volunteers are handing out packages with a modest Christmas meal and a small present.

These are people in dire straits in a country that should be able to do better.

But Tory austerity and welfare cuts continue to bite while the poor go hungry. Food banks are now so busy it’s feared they will struggle to keep up.

They’re the unofficial safety net beneath a system that has clearly failed a large section of society.

It’s not just welfare that’s being stretched, it’s all the other services that need adequate support to keep people’s heads above water.

The selfless work of food bank volunteers, and the donations that keep them going, are a sign society cares. But goodwill can only stretch so far.

This is happening on Theresa May’s watch. So while the food banks were trying to get round everyone, what was May doing?

She was crowing on social media about the return of blue passports, a pointless gesture that will cost millions of pounds.

Her priorities are wrong and her Government need a massive reality check. Urgently.