The Mirror backs the Right to Food campaign

The Mirror newspaper has officially backed the Right to Food campaign to make Government legally responsible for people in our communities who experience hunger.

As today’s Mirror article on the campaign explains, the person driving the Right To Food agenda is Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne MP, who entered Parliament in 2019 with one clear aim – to end hunger in Britain.

Liverpool FC fan Ian set up Fans Supporting Foodbanks in 2015 with Everton fans Robbie Daniels and Dave Kelly, after seeing a long queue for a foodbank near his home in Anfield, Liverpool.

“I thought it was for the bingo,” he said. “Someone took me round the back and I saw people bagging up pasta in those little bags they used to use for 10p sweets. The queue was round the block. I lay awake all night thinking about it.”

The queue was close to Liverpool’s football ground and less than a mile from Everton’s. “We thought, ‘there’s 60,000 fans heading to Anfield and 45,000 going to ­Goodison. If every fan brought a tin...’

Two wheelie bins collecting food six years ago grew to become a nationwide network. Despite the success of Fans Supporting ­Foodbanks, Ian knew it was “only a sticking plaster” and to drive systemic change, he stood successfully as MP for Liverpool West Derby.

Ian is now part of the Parliamentary EFRA Committee, who this week have called for the Government to consult on the Right to Food and for a new Minister for Food Security.

All eyes are now on Henry Dimbleby, whom the Prime Minister has tasked with creating a National Food Strategy. His final report is due in July, and his backing for a Right To Food could be a major moment for the campaign.

To read the Mirror article in full please click here: Mirror article
Read more about the Right To Food campaign.