An insult to food bank users

I’VE been following with astonishment the comments made in the House of Commons by MP

Lee Anderson in relation to food banks (“Tory MP taken to task over his ‘can’t cook’ comments on food bank users”, The Herald, May 12). This former Labour MP turned Tory MP (what else) insults every food bank user by suggesting that they cannot cook and every food bank should be offering them a cooking course.

Such sweeping generalisations must surely be a form of discrimination against the lowerincome members of our society. This misguided and inaccurate stereotyping serves no useful purpose.

Mr Anderson needs to understand that many people do not go into a food bank willingly and understandably many find the whole situation demeaning,

degrading and embarrassing. Many find that circumstances outwith their control necessitate their food bank use. To then have them attend cooking courses shows just how out of touch this man is. Such crass comments are unhelpful, to put it mildly. Mr Anderson continues by saying that wholesome meals can be prepared for 30p.

Instead of unfairly criticising and making some wholly inappropriate comments against food bank users, Mr Anderson would do far more good if he – and his colleagues – could make it their mission by working night and day to ensure that our society is fairer and more just for everyone. By doing so, we would reach the wonderful day when food banks become redundant.

That would be a cause for huge celebration and I would be the first to congratulate Mr Anderson.

I also note that he claims about £206,000 per annum in expenses alone and perhaps this figure would be reduced considerably if he spent a month or two existing – not living – on 30p meals.

Stewart Falconer, Alyth.