James O’Brien hammers Tories for their ‘callous ignorance’ towards the financially struggling

19 January 2023, 14:19

James O'Brien slams Tory MPs who accuse struggling people of being responsible for own misfortune

By Phoebe Dampare Osei

People must consider that their circumstances can change, said James O’Brien, after Conservative MP Simon Clarke suggested nurses should not need to use food banks, and that those who do should “budget better”.

James O’Brien blasted Conservative MPs for their “pathetic” idea that people using food banks are “lying” about their need to use them or are responsible for their misfortune.

His monologue was a response to the comments of Tory MP Simon Clarke, who suggested that nurses on salaries of £35,000 should not need food banks, but should instead "take responsibility" for their finances and “budget better”.

READ MORE: Row erupts over whether nurses can get by on £35k after ‘heartless’ comments by ex-minister

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC he disagreed with his fellow MP's comment.

James criticised the notion that “you somehow shouldn’t be permitted to have children” if you don’t meet “a certain financial threshold” and stay that way “for the rest of your life”.

He said that the Conservative's decision to take child benefits away from the third and fourth child “was such a dirty policy”.

James O'Brien on how right-wingers come to think food bank users are lying and should budget better

“Who knows what the future holds?” James questioned.

“Who knows when the wheels are going to come off when illness or disability or unemployment or a huge downgrade in your income is just going to mean that the things you took for granted in your 20s or your 30s, or your teens don’t apply in your 20s or your 30s or your 40s?” James pressed.

“You might be doing brilliantly when you first get pregnant and then five years later, everything’s gone wrong!” he exclaimed.

James said he was “disgusted” by people “lazily” claiming people can’t afford to have children, calling it a “pathetic” but “popular” narrative, before reminding listeners of Conservative MPs who had propagated this rhetoric in the not-too-distant past.

Nurse, who has three children, has disposable income of £75-a-month

Former Environment Secretary George Eustice said shoppers should go for “value ranges” and former Tory Party Chairman Jake Berry said people struggling with the cost of living should “get a higher salary”.

James said they were “queuing up” not to display “ignorant callousness”, but “callous ignorance”, asking: “Where does this list end?”

READ MORE: Conservative Party chairman sparks anger by telling people ‘earn more money’ if they are struggling with bills

Moving back to Simon Clarke’s comments, he said: “I'm not interested in how out of touch, outrageous, disgusting, insensitive, unfeeling and callously ignorant he is because he just is.”

He mocked people “who phone radio stations to attack single mothers, to insist they should…have consulted a clairvoyant, looked into the future, determined precisely what their financial situation would be 10 years hence and then terminated their pregnancy accordingly.”

“I presume that’s the logic that underpins these clowns”, he jabbed.

While James acknowledged that a few people using foodbanks were “not on the ball” with their money, he said it was wrong to cast that generalisation on everyone needing them.

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