Ricky Tomlinson at Trussell Trust food bank: My proud city Liverpool does not deserve to go hungry

First topic message reminder :



Concerned: Ricky is upset that families have to turn to food banks
Chris Neill
When I was asked to help out at a Liverpool food bank by the Trussell Trust and Len McCluskey, I leapt at the chance. But what I saw there really stopped me in my tracks.

The volunteers were working flat out packing food boxes for families who without their help would have nothing to wake up to on Christmas morning.

Then the manager Paul told me this was just one of a number of food banks in and around Liverpool and all of them would be rushed off their feet over Christmas.

In all there are 400 Trussell Trust food banks trying to feed 20,000 kids this Christmas. That’s on top of the 500,000 people they’ve fed since April, which is like feeding the whole of Wembley stadium five and a half times over.

Now Len and I are working class Liverpudlians – born and bred. We know what Scousers are like. Ours is a city full of proud people.

It’s obvious to us that the moment a family was forced to go to a food bank for help would’ve been one of the hardest of their lives – no matter how friendly the volunteers.

So it makes me furious when a prat like Tory Government minister Lord Freud says people are just going to take advantage of a free meal. Rubbish! These families are totally desperate.

And don’t even get me started on Esther McVey. That Wirral MP is simply a complete embarrassment to all of Merseyside.

Last week she was representing the Government in a debate on food banks, which was demanded by the 144,400 people who signed Jack Monroe’s petition – backed by the Mirror and Unite.

But Esther couldn’t even be bothered to stay the whole way through the debate. Just like her boss Iain Duncan Smith, she ran off, rather than face up to the damage that her Government is doing.



The truth is millions of families are facing a grim Christmas and 2014, because of frozen wages, rocketing bills and Government cuts. Pay packets simply can’t cover the cost of living.

But rather than do something about it, this lot in government are trying to blame ordinary people and turn us against each other.

Sadly, our afternoon at the food bank reminded Len and me of a time we’d hoped had been left behind.

We remembered being trade union organisers in the 1970s and 1980s, me on the building sites and Len as a dock worker. Back then ordinary families were facing desperate poverty.

But throughout that dark time one thing kept us going – the strength of our community.

Even if too often the government then didn’t give a toss about us, people pulled together to help each other out.

That’s why I’m so proud to be backing the Mirror, the Trussell Trust and Unite Christmas appeal this year.

It’s inspiring to see once again ordinary people, all around the country, putting their hands in their pockets to donate whatever they can manage.

As a trade unionist, I’m so glad that Unite is helping to lead this cause. After all, looking out for people in tough times is what we have always
done best.

It’s great that we are all coming together to make sure that families living in crisis can at least have some food on the table for Christmas Day.

I could not sit down to enjoy my Christmas dinner knowing that there were people who did not have one. Don’t forget – it’s not too late for you to help.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ricky-tomlinson-trussell-trust-food-2957077#ixzz2oOnVQj00
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

Sassy wrote:Try again as he avoided it:

So Didge, you don't want people to starve you say? Am I right?

So you disagree with the new benefits changes that have led to people going hungry and in some cases not eating for days? Am I right? Because after all, you can't agree with the changes if you don't want people to starve

I don;t believe the new benefits have led to people going hungry though sassy, I believe people have been poor at managing their money sassy as seen Costa managed on benefits, so why was she able to?
SO I do not want people to starve at all, what you connect to people starving I do not buy for one second when as seen people on lower incomes have less tax to pay than they did under labour, which means they are better off


Whoops

Sassy wrote:Try again as he avoided it:

So Didge, you don't want people to starve you say? Am I right?

So you disagree with the new benefits changes that have led to people going hungry and in some cases not eating for days? Am I right? Because after all, you can't agree with the changes if you don't want people to starve

How many times do I have to post it before you find the balls to answer Didge?

never avoided just answering many posts silly>


I don;t believe the new benefits have led to people going hungry though sassy, I believe people have been poor at managing their money sassy as seen Costa managed on benefits, so why was she able to?
SO I do not want people to starve at all, what you connect to people starving I do not buy for one second when as seen people on lower incomes have less tax to pay than they did under labour, which means they are better off


Whoops

PhilDidge wrote:

Joy Division wrote:


..bit you make out that all unemployed people and low earners get themselves I to debt and that they are the cause of the ruin of this country Didge....these are your words, not mine.

Again I never said all the unemployed or low earners either, you just seem to be making up as you go along, I have stated quite clearly many people have gotten themselves into debt, so no they were your words not mine!  

Bit you said the other day that because of the 11 million people in debt is the reason this country is in a mess?

Some people, make mistakes even with money Didge and I thought you earlier said you understood errors to be part of human nature?..even errors with money...

Bear in mind that many of those 11 million people who are in debt most likely lost their jobs because of this coalition AFTER taking the loans out.

PhilDidge wrote:

Sassy wrote:Try again as he avoided it:

So Didge, you don't want people to starve you say? Am I right?

So you disagree with the new benefits changes that have led to people going hungry and in some cases not eating for days? Am I right? Because after all, you can't agree with the changes if you don't want people to starve

How many times do I have to post it before you find the balls to answer Didge?

never avoided just answering many posts silly>


I don;t believe the new benefits have led to people going hungry though sassy, I believe people have been poor at managing their money sassy as seen Costa managed on benefits, so why was she able to?
SO I do not want people to starve at all, what you connect to people starving I do not buy for one second when as seen people on lower incomes have less tax to pay than they did under labour, which means they are better off


Whoops

So are you saying that because Costa did( not sure for how long though) , that everyone else can?..is that what your saying Didge?

Joy Division wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Again I never said all the unemployed or low earners either, you just seem to be making up as you go along, I have stated quite clearly many people have gotten themselves into debt, so no they were your words not mine!  

Bit you said the other day that because of the 11 million people in debt is the reason this country is in a mess?

Some people, make mistakes even with money Didge and I thought you earlier said you understood errors to be part of human nature?..even errors with money...

Bear in mind that many of those 11 million people who are in debt most likely lost their jobs because of this coalition AFTER taking the loans out.

Yes 11 million people from an article was posted today and the other day Joy, did you notice that word, "people" not poor or low income, people which includes those on good wages too, something lost on you it seems again.
Yes I agree some people makes mistakes with their money Joy and they also need to learn from those mistakes also Joy, which is my point again being lost on you and I do understand human error, but again we have to learn from human error, the point you are missing is many of them are not seeking help.

11 million have now lost their jobs, one moment

 ://?roflmao?/: 

I did not realise the unemployment levels were so high

 ://?roflmao?/:[/quote]

Joy Division wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


never avoided just answering many posts silly>


I don;t believe the new benefits have led to people going hungry though sassy, I believe people have been poor at managing their money sassy as seen Costa managed on benefits, so why was she able to?
SO I do not want people to starve at all, what you connect to people starving I do not buy for one second when as seen people on lower incomes have less tax to pay than they did under labour, which means they are better off


Whoops

So are you saying that because Costa did( not sure for how long though) , that everyone else can?..is that what your saying Didge?

No just that Costa is a fine example, I myself have experienced poverty levels and see it with others, where they manage their money well Joy

Kent Council's report showed it was the new benefits system that is causing hunger. You tried to avoid that fact Didge by wiggling like a eel on a line.

If you support the new benefits system, which includes the bedroom tax, you are supporting people going hungry.

Sassy wrote:Kent Council's report showed it was the new benefits system that is causing hunger.   You tried to avoid that fact Didge by wiggling like a eel on a line.

If you support the new benefits system, which includes the bedroom tax, you are supporting people going hungry.

So we are back to pseudo science again then, which as stated was not conclusive and far from it, so no I am not supporting people going hungry far from it, I am debating the reasons as to why some people are going hungry, with as stated before many took crisis loans under Labour in fact millions each year, has this had an affect for example.
So you can lie all you like sassy, I do not support people going hungry

It was shown that there was no pseudo science involved, that was just a red herring you tried to make fact, the report was exceptionally detailed, drawing it's facts from the widest sources it could, was very well arranged and decided that from the first report the new benefits were the cause of the problem. It was waiting to see if this would get worse in it's next report, the reporting being ongoing.

If you support the new benefits system, you support people going hungry.

Sassy wrote:It was shown that there was no pseudo science involved, that was just a red herring you tried to make fact, the report was exceptionally detailed, drawing it's facts from the widest sources it could, was very well arranged and decided that from the first report the new benefits were the cause of the problem.   It was waiting to see if this would get worse in it's next report, the reporting being ongoing.

If you support the new benefits system, you support people going hungry.

That is incorrect, the report was inconclusive and failed to take many things into account, if anything it was poorly researched as seen and thus I suport the new benefit system as do the Coalition, I suppose you think now all of the Liberal and Tories and their supporters are in fact supporting people going hungry, sorry guilt pseudo bullshit does not work either.

Again it is like connecting train lines that never meet, anyone can come to speculation as to why they think something might happen, you need direct evidence of which your report failed on every level with not taking debt or crisis loans into the situation means the report was flawed

Nuts, you tried to make out it was incorrect. It was very well researched which was why it was pulled, it was damning.

It was flawed as shown to be by its own conclusions

So because you didn't like the conclusions it was flawed. Yep, typical Tory, ignore anything that shows you are wrong.

Eh? they themselves say their findings are inconclusive, they are claims, nothing more, it is not evidence but claims dear Sassy and to me it was very flawed because it did not take many things into consideration.

Thus you are gullible, I am not, that is the conclusion to this

Eh! They say their finding are tentative because they have only had one report, they are waiting for the next to see if it gets worse. If was evidence, I'm not gullible, you just don't want to have to face up to what this government is doing and will use any tactic to that end. You are gullible, because you have swallowed the tory mantra hook line and sinker. You are an unthinking cap doffer.

Yes and the report failed to look into others areas as stated, thus it is flawed an you are gullible, as you think Israel even though all citizens have the same rights is under apartheid, that is being gullible!

It didn't fail to look at any area, it was very detailed. wiggle wiggle.

Yes it did, did it go on about crisis loans being stopped.
People living beyond their means?

No

Thus it was not comprehensive!

Oh bless you, it was talking about the new rules, which included crisis loans being stopped and it spoke about people who were not able to manage their money well and the extra help they would need.

DOH

And did it make connections to this with the rise sassy?

Take your time

No need for time, it did, go and read it.

Sassy wrote:It didn't fail to look at any area, it was very detailed.  wiggle wiggle.

It was and it listed 'The key findings'

Remember you are dealing with a Tory central office messenger who will call you a liar but doff his cap and tug his forelock in their presence.

Never changes - always the same

PhilDidge wrote:Yes it did, did it go on about crisis loans being stopped.
People living beyond their means?

No

Thus it was not comprehensive!

When did the loans stop?

Sassy wrote:No need for time, it did, go and read it.

I did read it thanks


and I see Irn is still upset lol

PhilDidge wrote:

Sassy wrote:No need for time, it did, go and read it.

I did read it thanks


and I see Irn is still upset lol

Well no Didge because I'm not the one that lost the plot, lost control and starting running around screeching like a  banshee warrior calling everyone a liar

 

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


I did read it thanks


and I see Irn is still upset lol

Well no Didge because I'm not the one that lost the plot, lost control and starting running around screeching like a  banshee warrior calling everyone a liar

 

lol as seen I am not making claims like saying I support people starving when I do not, thus that is lying and the only banshee is sassy

 :D 

You can say what you like Irn, clearly you are upset, grow a pair man

 :D 

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

Well no Didge because I'm not the one that lost the plot, lost control and starting running around screeching like a  banshee warrior calling everyone a liar

 

lol as seen I am not making claims like saying I support people starving when I do not, thus that is lying and the only banshee is sassy

 :D 

You can say what you like Irn, clearly you are upset, grow a pair man

 :D 

..didge have you been licking the backs of toads?  

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

Well no Didge because I'm not the one that lost the plot, lost control and starting running around screeching like a  banshee warrior calling everyone a liar

 

lol as seen I am not making claims like saying I support people starving when I do not, thus that is lying and the only banshee is sassy

 :D 

You can say what you like Irn, clearly you are upset, grow a pair man

 :D 

I know I can say what I like,,,,that's the bit you don't like.

And I've already got a pair lad. You not got them? Oh well, sorry about that.

  

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


lol as seen I am not making claims like saying I support people starving when I do not, thus that is lying and the only banshee is sassy

 :D 

You can say what you like Irn, clearly you are upset, grow a pair man

 :D 

I know I can say what I like,,,,that's the bit you don't like.

And I've already got a pair lad. You not got them? Oh well, sorry about that.

  

I love the banter Irn, being boring without it, no you need to grow a pair laddie, you always suffered from small man syndrome in more ways than one!

 :D 

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

I know I can say what I like,,,,that's the bit you don't like.

And I've already got a pair lad. You not got them? Oh well, sorry about that.

  

I love the banter Irn, being boring without it, no you need to grow a pair laddie, you always suffered from small man syndrome in more ways than one!

 :D 

Did I where did that happen and what gave you that impression? Is this a continuation of your smear campaign? It is, isn't it?
Never mind, if you've no balls then small man syndrome is something you don't need to be concerned with yourself.

BTW I'm 6'2".

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


I love the banter Irn, being boring without it, no you need to grow a pair laddie, you always suffered from small man syndrome in more ways than one!

 :D 

Did I where did that happen and what gave you that impression? Is this a continuation of your smear campaign? It is, isn't it?
Never mind, if you've no balls then small man syndrome is something you don't need to be concerned with yourself.

BTW I'm 6'2".

I was not talking about how tall you were, lol so funny and you did not twig.

 :D 

Bless

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

Did I where did that happen and what gave you that impression? Is this a continuation of your smear campaign? It is, isn't it?
Never mind, if you've no balls then small man syndrome is something you don't need to be concerned with yourself.

BTW I'm 6'2".

I was not talking about how tall you were, lol so funny and you did not twig.

 :D 

Bless

Oh I twigged alright you just missed the point.

So this impression you have always had of me. Where did that come from?

I have always had lots of respect for you Irn, silly, I just like to bust your balls sometimes, so calm down buddy, don't want that throbbing vein to burst on your head mate.

  

PhilDidge wrote:I have always had lots of respect for you Irn, silly, I just like to bust your balls sometimes, so calm down buddy, don't want that throbbing vein to burst on your head mate.

  

No answer then?

Just you be a really good boy and stop running around calling people liars and pinning winners medals on yourself and you won't end up looking like a mug in future.

Lessons learned by you I hope.

  

Thank goodness Didge was just Being humorous!!, I was wondering if we were talking to Flapette himself!!

And if you believe that JD lol

He backed off when he realised he wasn't going to get away with it.

Joy Division wrote:Thank goodness Didge was just Being  humorous!!, I was wondering if we were talking to Flapette himself!!

Well done Joy I was, take it easy Joy!

Sassy wrote:And if you believe that JD lol

He backed off when he realised he wasn't going to get away with it.

..I was just being a tad Sarccy Sassy!...I know he goes all biscuit arsed and pretends to be joking...

Once didge knows he has overstepped the mark, he tries to pass it off as banter!, but luckily enough we are the forgiving type...for most things.

Joy Division wrote:

Sassy wrote:And if you believe that JD lol

He backed off when he realised he wasn't going to get away with it.

..I was just being a tad Sarccy Sassy!...I know he goes all biscuit arsed and pretends to be joking...

Once didge knows he has overstepped the mark, he tries to pass it off as banter!, but luckily enough we are the forgiving type...for most things.

Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

The only clueless one here is you, as has been shown again and again. You like Irn, lol, callying him a liar is a funny way of showing it. I don't give a flying ..... what you think of me Didge, I loathe and detest everything you stand for.

Sassy wrote:The only clueless one here is you, as has been shown again and again.   You like Irn, lol, callying him a liar is a funny way of showing it.   I don't give a flying ..... what you think of me Didge, I loathe and detest everything you stand for.

Yes I do like Irn, he has intelligence and knowledge and know I can have good debates with him, which is impossible with you, so you loathe the fact I stand against racism and homophobia now, interesting, thanks for sharing

You don't stand against racism and homophobia, you use racism and homophobia to try and big yourself up and make yourself think you are cleverer than you are. Mind you, being as stupid as you, you'd have to.

Nobody can have a debate with you, because anything you don't like you pretend doesn't exist.

Sassy wrote:You don't stand against racism and homophobia, you use racism and homophobia to try and big yourself up and make yourself think you are cleverer than you are.   Mind you, being as stupid as you, you'd have to.

Nobody can have a debate with you, because anything you don't like you pretend doesn't exist.

No I very much stand against racism and homophobia, and I don;t think I am cleverer than everyone, just you   

So you loathe me standing against racism and homophobia, nice to know, we saw your racism the other day with poor stereotypes towards the Irish, now know exactly what I am dealing with

PhilDidge wrote:

Joy Division wrote:


..I was just being a tad Sarccy Sassy!...I know he goes all biscuit arsed and pretends to be joking...

Once didge knows he has overstepped the mark, he tries to pass it off as banter!, but luckily enough we are the forgiving type...for most things.

Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Ah thanks Didge! I like you as well, you may be misguided on government policies , but so are many people at times!...but I must admit, I'm glad tour here Didge, it makes for many an argument and yes, some banter,but Irn never lied!!!!..and tbh Didge, Sassy is a long way from being clueless!!

That would perhaps be said out of frustration as along with Irn , Sassy does her homework!!
The only main difference is with is Didge is that we would put food in the mouths of the hungry and you and some other RW would take it out!!  

Joy Division wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Ah thanks Didge! I like you as well, you may be misguided on government policies , but so are many people at times!...but I must admit, I'm glad tour here Didge, it makes for many an argument and yes, some banter,but Irn never lied!!!!..and tbh Didge, Sassy is a long way from being clueless!!

That would perhaps be said out of frustration as along with Irn , Sassy does her homework!!
The only main difference is with is Didge is that we would put food in the mouths of the hungry and you and some other RW would take it out!!  

Well as we have to agree to differ on politics the same will be the case with sassy, I lost all respect for seeing the same thing twice from here, her poor stereotype views of the Irish on here and at speakfree, I found them very discriminating and appalling really, so hence why I lost all respect

All the best Joy

PhilDidge wrote:

Sassy wrote:You don't stand against racism and homophobia, you use racism and homophobia to try and big yourself up and make yourself think you are cleverer than you are.   Mind you, being as stupid as you, you'd have to.

Nobody can have a debate with you, because anything you don't like you pretend doesn't exist.

No I very much stand against racism and homophobia, and I don;t think I am cleverer than everyone, just you   

So you loathe me standing against racism and homophobia, nice to know, we saw your racism the other day with poor stereotypes towards the Irish, now know exactly what I am dealing with

You couldn't be cleverer than me if you had a brain transplant.

Blimey that only took you 20 minutes to think up.

Bravo   

Oh do get over yourself, I was reading other things. What a dipstick.

Bless..

 :D 

Yawn.