A Tory MP has told firefighters who are on £32,000 a year and using food banks to “learn how to budget”.
Brendan Clarke-Smith, the MP for Bassetlaw, said the emergency workers using the facilities was the most “ridiculous” thing he had heard.
He tweeted: “I respect the profession, but £32,244 and using a foodbank? Never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life. I earned a lot less than that for most of my teaching career and so do many of my constituents. If true, which is unlikely, I suggest learning how to budget and prioritise.”
His comments drew an immediate backlash, with Professor Danny Blanchflower tweeting in response: “And then there was inflation you clown”.
Another social media user wrote: “Then on your much higher MP wage, why are you needing to claim expenses and eat taxpayer subsidised food? Just budget.”
Read the full article here:
https://leftfootforward.org/2023/01/tory-mp-slammed-after-telling-firefighters-using-foodbanks-to-learn-how-to-budget/