THE MP for Salisbury John Glen has been accused of hypocrisy by some readers for his report into the hunger and poverty in the UK.

Last week Mr Glen published a report with a cross-party group of MPs that called for the introduction of an organisation called Feeding Britain, to address the growing use of foodbanks in the UK.

Yet readers of the Journal have pointed out that Mr Glen is part of the Conservative Government that has made cuts to the welfare system.

Dick Bellringer said: “As The Centre for Welfare points out of the massive cuts to date, over 50 per cent fall on just two areas, benefits and local government, despite the fact that together they make up only 26.8 per cent of central government expenditure.

“This at a time when according to Kevin Farnsworth, senior lecturer in social policy at the University of York, British business receives, at a conservative estimate, £85 billion a year from the public purse in the form of preferential credit, government services, subsidies, insurance schemes and grants.

“And untold billions are siphoned out of the tax system into offshore havens and the City of London.

“He unaccountably fails to point that benefit-related problems was the single biggest reason given for food bank referrals by almost very food bank.

“Of course this is all part of his government's plan to blame everyone but itself for poverty in the UK, including those in poverty and suffering hunger.”

Mark Wareham said: “How on earth someone who is part of a government that has made scapegoating the poor and vulnerable in our society, and denying people decent rights at work, part of its central strategy can be said to be at the forefront of combating hunger is a affront to common sense and decency.

“The fact is that Mr Glen has supported his party attacking welfare support that has left people in severe financial difficulty and has led to people being put under severe pressure, arguably leading to a number of tragic outcomes.

“We are crying out for a Living Wage and yet the person who is alleged to be fighting to 'combat hunger' has not backed this important measure which would ensure that people receive a decent hourly rate of pay.

“Food banks have sadly become a necessity for many and the people who organise and run them thankfully do so to help people in desperate need.”

John Harper said: “Has he changed his view that it was not the government's policies that is causing the growth in food banks?“In the past he argued that it was people's lifestyles that were the reason for the rise in the demand for food banks.”

In an interview with the BBC Mr Glen defended his government's role in the increased use of foodbanks.

He said: “The use of foodbanks across France, Germany and Canada have (also) grown massively over the last ten years.

“There is a problem that the lowest ten per cent of income levels in this country have seen a higher inflation on food, utilities and housing leaving them with less to spend.

“So despite the fact that we have more jobs, 85 per cent of them full time, and have taken millions of people out of tax there is still a difficulty with the poorest people in society.”

See more reaction in Thursday's postbag.