Dominic Raab urged to apologise for ‘deeply offensive’ foodbank claims

A senior Conservative has been urged to apologise after claiming that most foodbank users were not “languishing in poverty”.

Former justice minister Dominic Raab came under fire when he claimed that many people receiving food parcels have “a cash flow problem episodically” as he sought to defend the Government's record during a TV debate.

Some 1.2 million food parcels were handed out last year, according to The Trussell Trust charity, while Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to tackle the issue when reports emerged that nurses had been forced to use foodbanks.

Asked why so many people were using foodbanks during an election debate, he said: “In terms of the foodbank issue, and I've studied the Trussell Trust data, what they tend to find is the typical user of food bank is not someone that is languishing in poverty, it is someone who has a cash flow problem episodically.

“No it's true. That is what the Trussell Trust papers say.”

However, a spokesman for the charity said delays to benefit payments and low wages were the most common reasons for foodbank referrals.

Mr Raab was challenged by the SNP's John Nicolson on the programme, who said the charity would be “outraged” at his comments.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron also weighed in on the row, describing Mr Raab as “woefully out of touch” and called on him to apologise.

He said: “We are seeing nurses, police officers and the just about managing having to go to food banks as their pay cheques won't stretch any further.

“These are stupid and deeply offensive comments by Dominic Raab and he should apologise.”

A Trussell Trust spokesman said: “Trussell Trust data shows that the main reasons for a foodbank referral are delays and changes to benefit payments and low income issues that include people who are struggling with low pay or insecure forms of employment.

“It is our experience that people living in poverty are more likely to experience a sudden short-term crisis where they are referred for emergency food whilst the underlying causes are addressed.”