Eileen Kersey writing out of Yorkshire, England

Cameron tries to spin foodbanks

31/3/2015

Op-Ed: Food banks are a relatively new phenomenon in the UK. The UK has experienced poverty and unemployment before but in modern times the welfare state has provided for those in most need. Soup kitchens and the like tended to be used by those who were living on the streets full-time or were exceptionally down on their luck, often due to mental illness, alcohol dependency or drug abuse, but not anymore.

Food Banks are proving life savers to a different section of society in the 21st Century and the numbers are increasing.

The Trussell Trust is the organiser behind the many food banks now scattered around the UK. When you consider that according to their statistics in 2013 more than 13 million people in the UK were living below the poverty line, it is easy to see why the use of food banks continues to grow.

In 2013 Television media reported UK Food Banks speaking of families trying to live on £400 a month. In one family the parents did not eat for the odd day here and there in order to feed their child. This particular couple were originally ashamed that they needed such "charity" as a food bank but desperate times lead to desperate measures.

The Trussell Trust reports n March 2015 "The charity, which runs a network of over 400 UK foodbanks, says that the number of people helped by their foodbanks in the first half of the 2014-15 financial year is 38% higher than numbers helped during the same period last year. 492,641 people were given three days' food and support, including 176,565 children, between April and September 2014, compared to 355,982 during same period in previous year."

Food banks rely on the support of ordinary people and local communities. It is like a co-operative in the true sense of the word with those who have a little more helping those living on the edge. In such rollercoaster times who know when it could be YOU needing the help.

But David Cameron's 2015 electioneering stance on foodbanks is shameful

Each time Cameron is asked about the increased need of foodbanks he turns the talk around to his doomed 'big society' and talks about how good it is that people are helping each other, totally and intentionally missing the point and dodging any questions.

Tuesday, David Cameron in a TV interview again claimed his government have created 1,000 jobs for each day they have been in office but those figures do not add up. In the 21st Century many jobless people no longer sign on as unemployed and work is more often part-time, temporary, low-paid or on zero-hours contracts.

The growth of foodbanks under Cameron's watch is shocking

Trussell Trust foodbanks began as a Christian charity, when Labour was in office, to help the poorest in society. A couple of thousand people across the country used them in 2005/2006 which increased ten-fold as the global economic crisis of 2008 hit.

Almost 500,000 people given three days’ food in six months - Latest Trussell Trust figures

Those figures however are nothing compared to in 2015.

Under the Tory led coalition, during a period they claim is now economically good, the number of people using foodbanks increased dramatically in number and are used by the 'working poor of the UK'.

Foodbanks are supposed to be an emergency stop gap but for the poorest people in British society they are now a way of life.

The reasons for a sudden or urgent need to use a food bank may be ill health, redundancy, loss of a partner and more. In many ways the food banks offer a service which saves the government money. In turn this saves all of us.

Just think about it. A family suddenly thrown into a desperate situation with little money for the basic foods; more health problems, a family breakdown or turning to a life of crime are all distinct possibilities.

The UK government needs to do more to prevent poverty, especially for children instead of allowing The Trussell Trust to fulfil a need in British society. Each food bank offers a three day supply box of food for those in an emergency situation. If you want to help below is a list of items which the Trussell Trust can always utilise:

Milk (UHT or powdered)
Sugar (500g)
Fruit juice (carton)
Soup
Pasta sauces
Sponge pudding (tinned)
Tomatoes (tinned)
Cereals
Rice pudding (tinned)
Tea Bags/instant coffee
Instant mash potato
Rice/pasta
Tinned meat/fish
Tinned fruit
Jam
Biscuits or snack bars

As welfare benefits continue to be cut to the bone more and more people are reaching out to this charity. Please support if you are able. The charity had humble beginnings and the website carries details of the Salisbury foodbank. It says, "Starting in a garden shed in 2000, Salisbury foodbank fed 3,906 people in crisis locally in 2011 and is the inspiration behind the UK foodbank network." No mean feat! There is also advice on starting your own foodbank but we would prefer the goverment to do its job and provide Social Security for the people of the UK.

In the 21st Century, in a rich country like Britain, should we even have foodbanks which are in effect 21st Century soup kitchens?

Labour latest: Labour pledges to end dependency on food banks with welfare reforms. The Labour Party is promising to scrap benefit sanctions and low pay culture that it believes is forcing people to turn to food banks - March 25.

Tuesday March 31 "Scottish Labour makes food banks pledge. Scottish Labour has unveiled a plan to end the need for food banks, as figures show more than 60 children a day are relying on such hand-outs."

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60 B&Q stores to close

31/3/2015

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In June 2003 Staff at DIY retail giant B&Q celebrated after hearing they would share a record £28 million bonus; all 35,000 members of staff in 320 stores received a pay-out of 9% of their salary by the end of the month.

But Tuesday it is a different story as B&Q announce store closures and job changes.

To be fair B&Q hit the skids some time ago and began closing stores and 'revamping' but today owners the Kingfisher group have announced 60 B&Q stores in UK and Ireland will close over the next two years.

It is not all bad news though as Kingfisher who also own Screwfix plan to open "60 new outlets under its Screwfix brand."

Crucially though B&Q will be downsizing its stores having decided smaller stores will be sufficient to meet customer demands.

It does have an online presence and presumably B&Q still has a good business footing there.

"Kingfisher also announced a 15.2% fall in pre-tax profit to £644m for 2014" reports BBC News.

The heady days of fabulous staff bonus schemes must surely be history or on temporary hold?

Kingfisher representatives claim the effect of these changes on jobs will be 'neutral' as job roles are shuffled rather than axed. Will job moves include protected work contracts or will workers face reduced hours, less pay or even zero-hour contracts?

Monday B&Q ditched expansion plans for France when Kingfisher abandoned plans to purchase French DIY chain Mr Bricolage for €275 'after one of the latter's shareholders opposed the deal'.

Staff will now face a period of uncertainty as Kingfisher streamline their business and make it fit for 21st Century trading.

In a separate announcement “Kevin O'Byrne, chief executive for B&Q UK & Ireland, would leave the firm on 15 May 2015 "allowing a smooth handover of his responsibilities" with further details to be announced "in due course".”

However you look at it though for now at least 600 jobs are at risk.

Source BBC News

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Fracking and the Tories

31/3/2015

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Day Two countdown to May 7: As politicians begin day two of the General election campaign will any of the main contenders mention fracking?

The Green Party are obviously at odds with the fracking industry and have continually made their position clear. Former Green Party leader and MP Caroline Lucas and her son were arrested at a fracking protest in Sussex in August 2013 and the party's anti-fracking stance continues.

But during the Tory led coalition government of the last five years the Conservatives have tried many means to further fracking in the UK.

In January 2014 government ministers announced they were considering reforming trespass laws so that companies could access properties without the owners or occupant's permission; not so much the property as underneath it.

We reported in 2014 the reform would allow fracking companies to access underneath your property without permission, saving the energy companies money and time. The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change were offering incentives, or should that be bribes, to local communities who embrace fracking, but people were not persuaded.

That lack of British enthusiasm led to the next step, relaxing trespass laws for the benefit of energy companies. The department said it is reviewing whether or not the existing process for gaining access is "fit for purpose".

Most people would say yes it is fit for purpose, if it is to protect householders but not if it is simply designed to benefit energy companies.

Currently energy companies in the UK must ask permission to access beneath your property. If you refuse they can seek a legal resolution but that takes time and costs money.

A Whitehall source told the Daily Telegraph in 2014 that "All options are on the table. It would be difficult to implement a regime that removed any kind of compensation. You could change the rules so you have a de facto right, but then you have to pay. The compensation could be less than £100."

There are concerns in the UK that fracking will be delayed if people refuse to jump on board the fracking gravy train and prefer to take a cautious approach. The department claims it will consult on the change but with whom and when?

The conclusion was if the government cannot persuade, it will consider railroading citizens.

In August 2014 a House of Lords committee has called for fracking to be a 'national priority'. The committee reportedly says it has investigated concerns over water use and methane leaks but does not believe they present serious risk.

During the last five years the number of bums on seats in the House of Lords has rose steeply and the number of Tory bottoms in particular has increased.

Fracking may be off the election manifesto of the Tory party but it is bound to feature in the next government if the Tories win.

In January 2015 the Tories were forced into a U-turn on fast-track fracking after accepting Labour plans to tighten regulations reported the Guardian.

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Parliament closes election campaigns launched

30/3/2015

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Op-Ed: General Election 2015 Day One - After months of pre-election speeches you would be forgiven for thinking the UK election campaigns have been underway for some time but no the battle proper began Monday.

Monday as PM David Cameron officially closed government until after the May 7 General Election political parties launched their campaigns in what looks set to be a dirty election overall.

Even as he closed parliament Cameron took the time to take a swipe at Ed Miliband saying "Britain faces a stark choice between a safe and secure future under the Tories or economic chaos under Labour."

UKIP has seen a dip in their popularity following the heady days of election success in the European elections of May 2014 but they are still in with a shout.

One reason David Cameron and his senior ministers are hell bent on discrediting Labour leader Ed Miliband could be because most of the other parties would do a deal with the Tories if forming a coalition was the only way to govern post the election.

The Liberal Democrats did just that in 2010 and so would have no problem backing the Tories again. UKIP and the Tories are both right wing parties and apart from Europe would make perfect political bedfellows.

Cameron and the Tories have decided to target Miliband as they try to pull off a second-term in office.

Chancellor George Osborne interviewed on Channel 4 News Monday night waffled a great deal and tried to dominate the interview turning it into a campaign broadcast. Try as she might the female interviewer could not get Osborne to come clean on any welfare budget cuts planned for post May 2015. He talked a great deal but made sure he edged each question regarding welfare and did not give any specifics about how a £12 billion plus worth of welfare cuts would be made.

Nigel Farage launched UKIP''s campaign in a flurry in the heart of Westminster. At least one UKIP MP who is a defector from the Tories was visible. Farage will concentrate his campaign on the EU and cutting foreign aid offering fed-up voters the promise of an EU exit.

The five-point pledge launched Monday does not directly mention immigration but it will surely be part of the UKIP plan?

But election manifestos and promises are sometimes like snow and can be here today gone tomorrow. Some last a little longer but their time is limited.

Farage features prominently on UKIP's election posters reinforcing the belief that the party is a one-man-band. When asked about this he said "Yes, it is my face on the pledge card – I am the leader of the party. All this one-man band business, it’s better than a no-man band.”

While political pundits claim UKIPs share of the vote has been squeezed the election is still very much up in the air. It is still any party's election and only a majority win by one party will prevent a hotch-potch coalition being formed.

Note: UKIP were called a party of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists by David Cameron back in 2006. He has since apologised.

However those accusations continually come back to haunt UKIP and later Monday this story seems to reinforce that description - UKIP parliamentary candidate for Hendon Jeremy Zeid calls for kidnapping of US President Barack Obama .

According to JC "Mr Zeid, a member of Kenton United Synagogue, stepped down last Thursday after he wrote on his Facebook page: “Once Obama is out of office, the Israelis should move to extradite the bastard or ‘do an Eichmann’ on him and lock him up for leaking state secrets.” His decision to quit UKIP was revealed Monday.

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One dead in Fort Meade shoot out

30/3/2015

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A shoot out at the entrance to Fort Meade, Maryland, which is home to the NSA, National Security Agency’s headquarters, is not believed to be terrorist related, according to the FBI.

Two men dressed as women used a stolen vehicle to ram the gates to Fort Meade around 9.00am local time. A shoot-out ensued leaving one dead and two injured though others dispute the reported death.

BBC News reports "The incident began shortly after 9:00 local time (14:00 GMT) when at least two people attempted to drive the vehicle into the National Security Agency section of the Fort Meade facility, according to a statement released by the Army base's public affairs office."

President Obama was quickly briefed about the incident which took place 22 miles northeast of Washington, D.C.

At time of writing the incident is being treated as a local criminal matter rather than anything more serious.

The shooting was reportedly quickly contained but information at this time is sketchy.

Two men, ages 20 and 44, were injured and flown by medical helicopter to the Shock Trauma unit in Baltimore, according to the Fox affiliate reports CNN.

The latest information is that the two cross-dressed men had been partying with a thrid individual prior the attck. They are accused of taking the third person's vehicle which is confirmed as being reported stolen.

The reason for their arrival at Fort Meade is not known.

Fort Meade is a huge sprawling facility home to thousands of military personnel and their families as well as the USA spy agency the NSA.

The activities of the NSA became public knowledge after Edward Snowden blew the whistle on its spying against citizens. Until that time US authorities had denied its existence.

We will update this breaking news story as updates become available.

Sources
BBC News
CNN
Guardian

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What Easter means to you

30/3/2015

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As Easter approaches what does it mean to you? If you are of a non-Christian faith it probably means little if anything. However if you live in a western country such as the UK you may still join in with any festivities. At Christmas people of various ethnic origins and religions that live in the UK give gifts and join in the non-religious part of the so-called 'season of goodwill to all men'.

Perhaps this happens at Easter but what about those of us brought up as Christians or vaguely declaring they are Church of England when pushed to an answer.

Is Easter nothing more than a long weekend break from work for you? For many people it is no longer that in the UK as few shops actually close for the whole of the weekend. For workers in hospitality and the leisure industry it will be business as usual, although maybe busier than ever.

Is Easter all about giving and receiving gifts especially chocolate products such as Easter Eggs, for you? Do you plan on stuffing your face with chocolate until you feel sick, scoffing a few traditional Hot Cross Buns and enjoying a family meal?

Will you spare a single thought to Jesus Christ and the crucifixion which is the purpose of celebrating Easter?

A Child's Easter in England past

In the Christian faith Easter is far more important than Christmas but as commercial events the reverse is true.

With no faith to speak of these days I will probably enjoy a mixture of the above but brought up as a church going Christian it will be hard to ignore entirely the 'Easter message'.

For me as a child Holy Week, the run up to Easter, was a busy time. It started on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. It was school holidays too but the extra time playing was interrupted frequently by church.

Church was an integral part of any Sunday for us but on Palm Sunday we went to church to celebrate Christ's triumphant ride into Jerusalem. He made a humble entry to Jerusalem on a donkey and the people adored him laying palms in front of him yet a week later he was crucified.

Each Palm Sunday as kids we would receive a small cross made out of a palm leaf which we would place in our bibles. Yes we all had bibles in those days. We were a relatively poor family but a bible was a must. As kids though our bible was one of the advent presentations handed out for good Sunday school attendance during the year. I loved mine but more for the glorious illustrations it held. Of course Jesus was portrayed in Michelangelo style as a fair haired white man. The palm cross would be treasured and at least one made it through into adulthood.

Holy Week began Monday with a visit to church in the evening. Brother and I sang in the church choir. He was pretty good but I was dire and I guess I was tolerated in true Christian spirit. Hymns such as 'There is a green hill far away' would haunt me as a child. I overthought everything and was sensitive to sorrow which meant the whole crucifixion was a nightmare for me.

For Holy Week our traditional choir garb was dumbed down and we wore just the black cassock. Come the Easter weekend when we celebrated the rise from the dead of Christ out came the white surplice.

Each night of Holy Week we would trek off, it was not far actually, to our church.

On Good Friday we did not eat any meat but instead fish was our main meal. That is more of a Catholic tradition but we followed suit in the 50s and 60s; others fast on Good Friday to remember Christ's sacrifice.

Hot Cross buns with plenty of butter would feature across the Easter weekend, the cross on top of the bun symbolising the crucifixion.

Dad would enjoy a long weekend from work. As a building site worker he would be grateful to relax for four days but church would still feature strongly and eat into his time.

As kids we were in some ways spoiled by an elderly family. We had no grandparents and few cousins but we had many elderly great aunts and uncles who supplied far too many Easter eggs and other goodies. Our Easter was a mixture of religion and commercialism I guess.

Easter 2015

Easter 2015 may almost pass unnoticed. Since retirement there is no extra day's leave from work to look forward too as every day is a 'holiday'. Church has not featured in my Easter for 40 years or more. There could be an odd chocolate egg to tempt me.

The nearest thing to the Christmas message will be an Easter Christian themed card I will receive from my elderly neighbour; I will reciprocate. But you cannot totally erase a childhood where Christ featured so strongly at Easter.

Faith or no my thoughts will invariably wander to the crucifixion, the Easter message and our increasingly troubled world.

The Easter message is a radical declaration of how God sees every person and, yes, we experience this personally in terms of our own faith.

Happy Easter

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Cameron tries to spin foodbanks

60 B&Q stores to close

Fracking and the Tories

Parliament closes election campaigns launched

One dead in Fort Meade shoot out

What Easter means to you

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