Exclusive: West of Westminster and @shelaghfinlay persuade Tory councillor to do some charity work.

Chris Steward

On the Friday there was outrage when the york press reported Conservative councillor Chris Steward as saying there is no real poverty and people should not donate to food banks.

Councillor Steward said on twitter that it insulted those in poverty to claim it existed in the UK. Asked to elaborate, he said Britain had relative poverty, like every country, but not absolute poverty.

He said: “We have lots of poor people, but living standards have surged over the years. There is certainly no need for food banks; no-one in the UK is starving and I think food banks insult the one billion in the world that go to bed hungry every day and ignore the fact a child dies of hunger every three seconds. 

"The fact some give food to food banks, merely enables people who can’t budget (an issue where schools should do much more and I have said the council should) or don’t want to, to have more money to spend on alcohol, cigarettes etc.” 

Mr Mould said Coun Steward was “poorly informed” and said living standards for people on low incomes had declined in recent years, with heating costs rising by 65 per cent in five years and the cost of basic food rising by 35 per cent. He said it was stereotyping to say those on low incomes were using money unwisely, saying there were many reasons why people found themself in crisis.

He said: “He says there is no need for food banks; I am astonished by hisassertion. What does he know? Where is his evidence? More than 10,000front-line professionals, week in week out, are referring people they aretrying to help to food banks.

Well after this misinformed statements Councillor Steward was rightly attacked by other twitter users. during this one  @shelaghfinlay challenged him to spend a day working at a food bank.
His reply was that he was happy to speak to anyone involved. Sir Humphrey felt that this was a weasely. Neither saying yes nor no the question. So sir Humphrey got involved.
 
After this Shelagh Finlay replied aferming her commitment and asking him if he would do the same and Chris Stward said he would.
 
So a great little tale of what social media can acheive apromise from a councillor to do some charity work, that's a good thing. 

I think journalists and politicians are struggeling to understand things like twitter. They are so used to being able to put out press releases etc. without being challenged. The fact that social media helps people confront politicians and journalists is great altough i imagine its a little disturbing for them to be held accountable for once.

Sir Humphrey looks forward to keeping you up to date with this story and Councillor Stewards promise.