One of the welcome announcements to emerge from the Labour conference last week was the aspiration to halve foodbank use in the first year of a Labour Government.
Shadow Environment Secretary Sue Hayman announced that a National Food Commission would monitor food insecurity, alongside an Access to Food Fund investing in the most deprived parts of the country, all enshrined under a Fair Food Act which would affirm the right to food in legislation.
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-foodbank-formed-less-than-three-months-ago-has-already-handed-out-more-than-900-parcels-to-needy-families/
Anything that takes seriously the extent of poverty must be welcomed but pledging to achieve something and then achieving it are two different things and understanding what has led to the increase is crucial in the first instance.
For example, how can one administer an antidote to an ailment it has not understood?
What has driven the current levels of foodbank use is the Welfare Reform Act 2012, which introduced higher levels of sanctions, the bedroom tax and the unfurling of Universal Credit.
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Poverty is a multi-faceted issue, no one approach will eliminate it and, despite the response of some charities to these announcements, the investment of more money or changes to policy do not offer a complete solution either.
Only when a Government, the third sector and people experiencing poverty come together on a strategy to end UK hunger, will the tide of food insecurity begin to abate.
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