Good article from Jack Monroe....
https://www.theguardian.com/society...my-own-price-index?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
An interesting initiative that sorts inflationary wheat from the chafe for those on the breadline....
The numbers turning to food banks and the creep of food poverty in this country is a terrible indictment of failed nation....
Don't disagree with much of what Jack says .
But that we should even think it acceptable that a large chunk of our population is reliant on the lowest quality cheap food , often that food which is going to feed the next generation, is really depressing.
If you look at the price of food relative to all the other essentials it has gone down.
Along with a depression in food quality.
Unsurprising that food quality is depressed in a system with such marginal returns to the primary producer.
Meanwhile the price of things that build capital for the already well off.mainly 'property' has gone up enormously.
So property owners are 'enriched'
The National Food Strategy , went some way to recognising, and even tackling all, this, but not far enough .
Unsurprising really given that it was commissioned by a Tory government, and left out the causes for such a squeeze in household budgets, such as the 'free trade' race to the bottom on food quality
.
There is so much that needs to be done around good food provision , and good food supply, alongside things like better housing provision so that people aren't having to make a choice between heating and eating.
The food system is broken, feeding people good food should be the main.aim.
People having access to good food has so many other knock on positive effects in terms of educational attainment, and positive social outcomes.
Provision of sufficient nutritious food is not even seen as a 'Public Good' in this country, in the way that education and healthcare are.
Nuts given that it's a fundamental human need.
In the medium term we need more local food network's of farmers and growers supplying directly into their local food system, thereby upping nutrition, and reducing waste.
In the short term UC payments need to cover the cost of eating properly, and truly social housing needs to be provisioned
Not this lip service paid to a few 'affordable' houses being built on the edge of a new estate.
Partly failed nation. The fact food banks exist shows there are still some who are willing to give time and resources to those on the breadline.
Yes thankfully there's usually a brigade of good sorts willing to help out where government has failed miserably.
Shame Tory voters can't even make the effort give their vote to ousting the deliberate creators of this austerity.