Jacob Rees-Mogg Still Keeps Digging That Hole !

[mikey4444]

Jacob Rees-Mogg: Food banks 'rather uplifting'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41264965

"He told LBC radio the only reason for the rise in their use was "that people know that they are there".

God help us all if this Tory Twit ever gets into Number Ten.

[naomi24]

I agree with Deskdiary. It is bananas.

[anneasquith]

OK. I'll say it, I think hes creepy.:-(

[mikey4444]

Anne....Rees (let-them-eat-cake) Mogg reminds me of a character out of one of the early PG Wodehouse books....absolutely absurd and slightly unbelievable.

Pure comedy.

[Tilly2]

Except he's not funny.

[Kromovaracun]

If Corbyn could become Labour leader, it doesn't seem far-fetched that JRM could become Tory leader.

As everyone on AB knows, I prefer one of them enormously to the other, but they both started out as fringe candidates who are building support through social media.

[andres]

JRM seems to be the latest politician to be running the gauntlet .Everything he says is twisted and misconstrued by the media. The article on food banks is the latest. Read the article properly and you will see just what he said.

[scooping]

Yes, read what he said rather than Leftie knee-jerk reaction.

[Kromovaracun]

I have. I think it's sly and disingenuous, especially as he was being asked to comment on the fact that people are using them in increasing numbers.

[naomi24]

I think it's sly and disingenuous to deliberately misrepresent him ... but there you are.

[Khandro]

Mikey; Would you mind explaining exactly what you mean by the question and your assertion?

[ladybirder]

Andres it is Mikey who has misconstrued the article in this instant, not the media.

[-Talbot-]

You're right Ladybirder.
But to be fair to mikey he often misconstrues things. He has on more than one occasion thanked a fellow ABer for backing him up despite the poster clearly doing the opposite ... bless him.

[Khandro]

What he is saying is, it is good to give to the needy, and the more of them that know of this facility the more will be able to use it.

That's correct isn't it? Or do you have a problem with what he is saying?

[mikey4444]

He said::::: "food banks pre-dated the Conservatives coming to office and "crucially, the change that took place was that the Conservative government allowed Jobcentre Plus to tell people that food banks existed".

That rather implies that the huge increase in Food bank use is mainly down to the fact that Jobcentre Plus now advise people that food banks exist.

But that doesn't appear to be born out by the facts. According to the Trussel Trust, only about 5% of people receiving help are being referred by Jobcentre Plus.

I am involved with the Trussel Trust as much as I can. This is their statement after Let-them-eat-cake intervened ::::

https://twitter.com/TrussellTrust

[Kromovaracun]

Khandro/Naomi

Yes, that's what he said.

He was asked about the fact that people have been using foodbanks in increasing numbers over the past 7 years (link below, I've timestamped it so it will open at the relevant part), and waved the question away with "people just use them now because they know about them" (discredited, see mikey's post) and how jolly "uplifting" it was that people gave to foodbanks to help others in need. That is disingenuous, it's pure spin.

Now, this is not more disingenuous than any other politician is. But what annoys me is how susceptible people are to this lie that politicians who have a bit of character or say controversial things are not just as deceitful and manipulative as their peers. It is something that JRM (and plenty of other radicals) have learned to exploit.

[Khandro]

Kromo; I think if anyone's putting a 'jolly' spin on things, it's you. This is a complete non-story.

[gulliver1]

I can not believe that this man JRM actually said .
"We the Conservative Government allowed job centre staff, to tell the out of work that food banks are available." another Eton College Idiot that has never lived in the real world. WACP.

[Khandro]

gulliver; Get a grip!

[mikey4444]

I have been castigated for my previous description of Rees-Moog, so I am quite happy to agree with Gulliver, in calling him an Eton College Idiot, although I may in the future add Let-Them-eat-Cake Rees-Mogg.

Hard though it is to believe Gulliver, implying that as soon as the users of Food Banks were told about them, by JonbcenterPlus, people starting using them in droves. But as I have pointed out, the evidence for that is not shared by the Trussell Trust.