A Nottinghamshire MP has told families to buy supermarkets' own baked beans brands if they're struggling with their food shop. Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith offered the advice to households struggling in the current cost of living crisis after former Tory Minister, Ann Widdecombe, sparked outrage by telling people to give up cheese sandwiches if the cost of basics items are too high.
Due to the ongoing struggle, the inflation for food and drink prices has hit 19.2% in the year to March, which is almost twice the overall rate of 10.1% reports the Daily Mirror. Mr Clarke-Smith shared his views on the situation during a TV panel discussion about if supermarkets had been profiteering by increasing prices.
He told LBC's Cross Question: "Heinz Baked Beans, say the price has shot up on that and people say, 'oh this tin has gone up by 50% or whatever'. Well, buy the Tesco Value one."
Is the government doing enough to help with the cost of living? Let us know
Regarding his baked beans thoughts, presenter Iain Dale challenged him on the claim, saying both products taste different. Mr Clarke-Smith argued that the Government shouldn't be intervening, saying: "You can buy something from somewhere else.
"I want people to make a profit. I don't want Government to have to step in because they are making big losses and then they are not paying any tax or so on. Making profits is not a bad thing."
However, the MP did explain that supermarkets shouldn't be "profiteering and taking advantage", and should be paying farmers a fair price. The Tory MP previously sparked fury when he stated that firefighters using food banks needed to learn "how to budget".
Mr Clarke-Smith said reports that emergency workers being paid £32,000 salaries were resorting to food banks were "ridiculous". He tweeted: "I respect the profession, but £32,244 and using a food bank? 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.”
Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson, also a Nottinghamshire MP, has also railed against struggling Brits using foodbanks. He claimed that households can't budget or "cook properly."
He also stated that foodbank users are short of cash because they fritter cash on cigarettes, alcohol, expensive TV subscriptions and holidays. This comes after Reform party member Ms Widdecombe, 75, was asked on BBC ’s Politics Live: “What do you say to consumers who literally can’t afford to pay for even some of the basics if they have gone up the way that a cheese sandwich has?”
She replied: “Well then you don’t do the cheese sandwich. Because we have been decades without inflation we have come to regard it as some sort of given right that our food doesn’t go up.”
Lib Dem Sarah Olney said: “How out of touch can you get? Families are struggling to afford the weekly shop."
READ NEXT:
Boarded up Nottingham city centre restaurant to become 'colourful bazaar'
New discount store coming to the Nottingham street in the shadow of Broadmarsh
Nottinghamshire parents 'exhausted' as they fight for children's education needs
Dad in disbelief after 8-year-old son finds 'grenade' in Nottinghamshire park
