Ian Byrne MP challenges Government to end food poverty in new Parliamentary motion

Twelve months on from the launch of his national #RightToFood campaign, Ian Byrne MP has this week issued a new Early Day Motion (EDM) on Food Insecurity.

The Liverpool West Derby MP tabled the motion in Parliament on 06 December 2021, sponsored by five Labour MPs: John McDonnell MP, Beth Winter MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Barry Gardiner MP and Dan Carden MP. So far, the motion has been signed by thirty-seven members from across the House.

In the motion, the Liverpool MP states that the Government has a duty to ensure nobody in our communities goes hungry and asserts this duty should be reflected in legislation, with the Right To Food enshrined in UK law.

He also recognises the many councils across the country have now declared themselves Right To Food cities and towns since Liverpool city council voted to become the first UK Right To Food city almost a year ago in January 2021.

Byrne notes too that the Trade Union Congress 2021 passed a motion calling for the Right To Food to be enshrined in law and that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee on which he sits has this year recommended that Government urgently consults on a legal Right To Food.

Finally, Byrne’s motion calls on the Government to include the Right To Food in a White Paper that it is publishing in early 2022 in response to the National Food Strategy recommendations.

Commenting on the new EDM, Ian Byrne MP said: “The level of food insecurity being experienced in the UK is absolutely horrific.

“It is appalling that the demand for emergency food parcels remains well above pre-pandemic levels and that food parcels given to children have increased at double the rate for adults compared to pre-pandemic levels.

“Put simply, the Right To Food campaign end goal is move beyond the sticking plaster of foodbanks to ending hunger for the last time. I believe the Government has a duty of care to all UK citizens to ensure that nobody goes hungry. We know that 11 million people are currently food insecure and that the impact of this on their health, wellbeing and livelihoods is often devastating.

“The campaign goes from strength-to-strength with more councils around the country voting to join us and become a Right To Food town or city. Early next year the Government is due to respond to this summer’s National Food Strategy recommendations and we are asking them to address the need for a legal Right To Food for all citizens in this response. The Right To Food campaign will continue for as long as people in our communities remain hungry.”

The Early Day Motion’s full text reads:

EDM (Early Day Motion) 746: Food insecurity

Tabled on 06 December 2021

“That this House recognises the horrific levels of food insecurity in the UK being experienced by approximately 11 million people; acknowledges the profound and devastating consequences of food insecurity on the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of people in our communities; notes with concern that the need for emergency food parcels remains well above pre-pandemic levels; further recognises that, as per Trussell Trust figures, food parcels given to children have increased at double the rate for adults compared to pre-pandemic levels; agrees that the Government has a duty to ensure nobody in our communities goes hungry; asserts that the Government’s duty should be reflected in legislation and that the Right To Food should be enshrined in UK law; recognises the many councils across the country that have declared themselves Right To Food cities and towns; recognises that the Trade Union Congress 2021 passed a motion calling for the Right To Food to be enshrined in law; recognises that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has recommended the Government urgently consult on a legal Right To Food; calls on the Government to include the Right To Food in its White Paper in response to the National Food Strategy recommendations; and notes that the White Paper is due in early 2022.”

You can find this EDM on the Parliament website: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/59238/food-insecurity

The Right To Food campaign has also launched a new petition which calls on the Government to make access to food a legal right and is asking individuals and organisations to sign and share it. You can find the Right To Food petition here: https://bit.ly/3y4H5tK