Coffey had been challenged over foodbanks running out due to huge demand
Tory frontbencher Therese Coffey has told Brits struggling to afford food to “work some more hours” and “get a higher income.”
The Environment Secretary made the “appalling” comments after being challenged in the House of Commons over the number of people using foodbanks.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell told Coffey that foodbanks in her York constituency were struggling to keep up with demand.
According to the Office for National Statistics, food prices had gone up by 16.8 percent in year to January, and Maskell said foodbanks were “eking out food supplies” as more people turn to them for help.
She asked the Tory cabinet member what her party was going to “ensure that no one goes without.”
Coffey responded by suggesting people simply “work some more hours”, “get upskilled” and “get a higher income.”
She told the house: “We talk about aspects of food pricing, inflation is really tough at the moment, there’s no doubt about that, and I’m conscious though that we still have a situation where generally across Europe we have one of the lowest proportion of our incomes being spent on food; supermarkets have been very competitive.
“But I do want to encourage her to also work in supporting the household support fund, that is intended to go to people particularly in need.
“But of course we do know that one of the best ways to boost their incomes is not only to get into work if they’re not in work already, but potentially to work some more hours, to get upskilled, to get a higher income.”
Maskell could be heard labelling the response as “appalling.”
Thérèse Coffey was heckled by a Labour MP after claiming that people struggling to afford their food bills should consider working more hours pic.twitter.com/7Z1NjeVmG7
— The National (@ScotNational) February 23, 2023
This week, new research revealed that record numbers of people are turning to foodbanks for help.
The Independent Food Aid Network (Ifan) found that almost 90 percent of food banks surveyed reported increased demand in December 2022 and January 2023 compared with a year earlier.
And half of the 85 organisations that responded said that if demand rose further they would have to cut support or start turning people away.
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