‘Threatened’ for publicising poverty: an uncharitable tale

There’s been a rather extraordinary development in the increasingly testy relationship between the food bank charity, Trussell Trust, and the government.

Trussell Trust chairman, Chris Mould, claims he was told in a face to face conversation last year by “someone in power” that if they weren’t more careful when talking about food bank use and welfare changes “the government might try to shut you down”.

Mr Mould refused to name the person directly but gave other examples of being contacted by staff from the office of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith.

He recalls how on one occasion someone phoned with the very clear message that “the boss” was very angry because of the way the Trust were publicising their belief that rising numbers of people were turning to food banks because of delays and inefficiencies in the benefits system.

He said it was part – in his view – of a hardening of attitudes towards the Trust by the Department of Work and Pensions: “it seeks to discredit us. It makes comments which seek to belittle or diminish the significance of our activities.”

For the Trust and others working in the voluntary sector, Mr Mould says, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do their own work , often working alongside government, but to present valid criticism of policies. “You’re presented with an either or,” he said.

Over the past couple of years, as the Trussell Trust have been claiming huge rises in the number of people having to resort to food banks, various voices from within government have suggested either that their figures are wrong or that the rise in use has been fuelled by supply – the fact people are much more aware about their existence has meant they’re more likely to use one.

That however was a line challenged by a report commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and now an all party parliamentary group has been established to examine food poverty in the UK.

So what does the Department for Work and Pensions say about Mr Mould’s claims that the government have threatened to shut the charity down?

A spokesman for the DWP told me: “It’s not something I recognise.”

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