Reactions as Tory MP says nurses using foodbanks can't budget

Another Tory MP has gone poor bashing. This time blaming nurses for using foodbanks.

Simin Clarke MP made the comments during an interview on BBC Radio Tees (you can listen below)

He said: “If you’re using a foodbank and you’re earning the average nurses salary of £35,000 a year, then something is wrong with your budgeting.”

Clarke, who in the year up to the end of September 2022 claimed £24,388.50 in accommodation expenses.

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The mind boggles!

Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), accused him of displaying ‘disdain’ for struggling workers. ‘To criticise anybody using a foodbank is disgusting, heartless and dangerously out of touch,’ she said.

“If you’re using a foodbank and you're earning the average nurses salary of £35,000 a year, then something is wrong with your budgeting”

🗣️ @SimonClarkeMP told @greenyfrom6am his thoughts on the #NursesStrike:
— BBC Tees (@BBCTees) January 18, 2023

Here he is sticking up for ’30p’ Lee Anderson.

Clarke wrote: “Thank you Lee. My point exactly.

“You can have huge respect for people working in our public services and also be clear that if you are earning £35,000, unless there are very particular circumstances, you shouldn’t need to use a foodbank.”

Thank you Lee. My point exactly.

You can have huge respect for people working in our public services and also be clear that if you are earning £35,000, unless there are very particular circumstances, you shouldn’t need to use a foodbank. https://t.co/QnQgFa5HXW
— Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) January 19, 2023

Reactions

As you can expect it has gone down very badly with the lot of people…

https://twitter.com/michaelglasper/status/1615730102553251840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1615730102553251840%7Ctwgr%5E8efbeefa7004edd8f90a76e076defbb6b9df9111%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thepoke.co.uk%2F2023%2F01%2F19%2Frich-tory-mp-thinks-nurses-arent-budgeting-properly%2F

Tory MP Simon Clarke, who earns £84,000 a year, says skint nurses using food banks need to budget better.
He's got some front as he's claimed £200,700 expenses in just ONE year.
He even claimed £7.65 to send a document to a constituent by recorded post 🤔https://t.co/b6FjiYpBt3
— Lorraine King (@lorrainemking) January 19, 2023

Simon Clarke takes the art of dismissive condescension to new depths.

It's beyond insulting that, as a recent Cabinet Minister making around £151k, he's telling nurses starting at £27k their problem is that they're not budgeting properly.

He's totally detached from their lives. https://t.co/d3QYDvrTcK
— Andy McDonald MP (@AndyMcDonaldMP) January 18, 2023

If you're earning a basic MP salary of £84,000 a year and still claiming for your energy bills then something is wrong with your morals https://t.co/EbvjENLQuV
— Steve Jackson 💙 (@SteJck) January 18, 2023

Simon Clarke on @BBCTees earlier “if you’re a nurse and using a foodbank, there’s something wrong with your personal budgeting”.

Absolutely reprehensible comment from a careerist politician who has seen his salary increase by over 15k since 2015.
— Average Human Teessider (@utb_smith) January 18, 2023

https://twitter.com/Normanjam671/status/1615755295568920576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1615755295568920576%7Ctwgr%5E8efbeefa7004edd8f90a76e076defbb6b9df9111%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thepoke.co.uk%2F2023%2F01%2F19%2Frich-tory-mp-thinks-nurses-arent-budgeting-properly%2F

So Simon Clarke MP is latest to need a bit of a roasting stating if nurses on £35k are using foodbanks there must be something wrong with their budgeting

Lets embarrass the privileged ex Minister and send this viral#ToriesOut196 #SunakOut85 #NHSStrikes https://t.co/1OJcHkSHOc
— dave lawrence 🐟🐟🐠 (@dave43law) January 18, 2023

Why do MPs like Simon Clarke & Lee Anderson feel they even have the right to comment on people using food banks? If we all claimed expenses, yr on yr pay rises, food & drink subsidies etc, NONE of us would need food banks. Stop patronising people, you CLEARLY wouldn’t understand.
— Claire #EnoughIsEnough 💙 (@clairebubblepop) January 19, 2023

Arrogant pampered MP – RESIGN
You try
– renting in London area
– paying for energy costs
– council tax
– paying £100 plus per week to park at work
– pay off £40k training loan
– childcare
On 35k living alone
Instead 84k, cheap food and drink, expenses
— dave lawrence 🐟🐟🐠 (@dave43law) January 19, 2023

10.

Here is a nurse explaining how it really is…

"If anyone needs to budget better it's the government"

Sophie Baker joins the #NursesStrike picket line and explains how nurses have to pick up extra shifts just to make ends meet #FairPayforNursing

Follow our live blog for more 👇 https://t.co/FLf3AipJLv pic.twitter.com/etmqRFXlov
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) January 18, 2023