Yahoo Movies Conservatives under fire from Jack Monroe after criticising parents who can't feed their children for £10 a week
A local Conservative party has come under fire after criticising parents who can’t feed their children on £10 a week.
The tweet by the Bath Conservative Party, which has since been deleted, suggested that who can’t feed their children on £10 a week “don’t know how to feed their children well”.
It has drawn the ire of bestselling author and activist Jack Monroe (pictured above), whom it referred to, prompting her to declare she is “not their poster girl”.
The tweet, sent in response to Green MP candidate Dom Tristram, said: “The reality may be indolent for disfunctional parents or more likely parents who simply don’t know how to feed their children well.
“If absolutely-not-a-Tory Jack Monroe could feed herself & her child for £10 a week – not easily, but adequately – most people can.”
Yesterday an ill-judged comment was made on our Twitter account re. the challenge of food poverty. The content didn't accurately reflect our views or approach & we apologise for any offence caused. We continue to seek ways to reduce the blight of child poverty in our City.
— Bath Conservatives (@BathCA) February 18, 2018
A single thoughtless tweet on food poverty, not intended to insult, but insulting nonethless, for which we unreservedly apologise, does not represent our Association view, nor our continuing committment to build a better Britain & a better Bath for all residents.
— Bath Conservatives (@BathCA) February 19, 2018
Bath Conservatives have since apologised for the “thoughtless” tweet, saying it did not represent the association’s views.
It said: “A single thoughtless tweet on food poverty, not intended to insult, but insulting nonethless (sic), for which we unreservedly apologise, does not represent our Association view, nor our continuing committment (sic) to build a better Britain & a better Bath for all residents.”
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But the tweet has continued to circulate, as people voiced their anger over the tweet.
Monroe – who has written a series of cookbooks for people on tight budgets – has also since updated the cost of the £10 shop the original tweet referred to, pointing out that it would now cost £16.20.
My £10 a week food shop from the 2014 Guardian article is now £16.20. @BathCA – first choose which £6.20 of groceries you'd take out of this basket, then live for a WEEK on the remainder. After all, 'anyone can do it'. pic.twitter.com/2kRiU24Kk4
— jack monroe | (@BootstrapCook) February 20, 2018
She told the Bath Chronicle: “My first response was no, just no.”
Describing how she had had to resign from work in a 999 control room after having her son, she said she had ended up living in poverty for two years.
“I ended up living on £10 a week with me and my young son and I ended up writing about it on my blog because I wanted to help other people.
“That came from a painful experience so to see Bath Conservatives using me as a role model was shocking.
“The point is nobody should have to do that. It made me angry because I was in the position I was in because of the Conservative policy. I’m not their poster girl.”
(Top picture: PA)
