Record food parcels issued as Tory cost crisis bites

Tory austerity and economic policy is failing ordinary people, the SNP has said after new figures revealed almost 3 million food parcels were handed out by food banks in the last 12 months, more than ever before.

The damning figures, published by the Trussell Trust, found that between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023 a total of 2,986,203 parcels were given to people in the UK, with over a million going to children alone as the Tory-made cost of living crisis spiralled out of control.

The SNP's Social Justice spokesperson, David Linden MP, said the figures laid bare the impact of Tory rule over Scotland and the damage being done to Scottish Government efforts to eradicate poverty.

Commenting, David Linden MP said:

“The Tories' cost of living crisis, compounded by their bad Brexit supported by their chums in the Labour Party, has driven up prices and forced a record amount of people to rely on food banks.

“These figures ought to shame even the most hardline Conservatives into immediate action - demonstrating that Tory austerity and economic policy has completely failed.

“They sum up the legacy of this shameful Tory government who continue to cause untold harm to ordinary people in Scotland who didn't elect them.

“In Scotland we've taken steps to eradicate poverty and mitigate the worst of Tory rule, but here we are being made to watch powerless yet again as that work is undone by Westminster and as ordinary Scots are made to pay the heaviest price.

“While we introduced groundbreaking new benefits like the Scottish Child Payment the Tories were busy slashing Universal Credit and hiking taxes on the lowest earners.

“People in Scotland need an escape from the austerity and cost of living crisis created and imposed upon them by Westminster - that will only come with the full powers of independence.