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More than 80 charities and civil society groups have called on Rishi Sunak to reverse his decision to block UN inspectors on food poverty from visiting the UK until after the election.
Mr Sunak's government has told the UN special rapporteur on the right to food that he cannot visit the UK until next year. Professor Michael Fakhri, whose role is to research hunger and food insecurity in countries around the world, requested an official visit to the UK more than 20 months ago.
His request was rejected in April by Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer, who said a visit this year was not possible and denied UN inspectors the chance to conduct an investigation during this parliament.
Food and human rights charities and civil society groups have now written to Mr Sunak asking him to reverse the decision.
In a letter signed by 85 organizations including Amnesty International, Just Fair and the Food Foundation, the charity wrote: Levels of poverty, food bank use, and reports of hunger have been ongoing for many years and have become more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis. ”
Volunteers from Bonny Downs Community Association Food Club visited in March as part of Sainsbury's and Comic Relief's campaign to raise awareness of food poverty in the UK. (Pennsylvania)
“It is very disappointing that the UK Government will not invite the Special Rapporteur this year,” they said, adding: “We urge the UK Government to facilitate this visit during this session of Parliament.”
A recent study by the Food Foundation found that 15 per cent of UK households live in food insecurity. This equates to 8 million adults and 3 million children. Levels of food poverty are twice as high as in 2021, the charity has found.
MPs heard this week that children were pretending to eat from empty lunch boxes and eating rubber bands because they were not eligible for free school meals. At least 900,000 children living in poverty in the UK are said to be excluded from free school meals due to standards set by the government, the Child Poverty Action Group has announced.
When the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty visited the UK in 2018, his report was damning. Australian law professor Philip Alston said rising poverty in the UK was “a direct result of government policy” and that the country's rise in poverty was “obvious to anyone who opens their eyes”. said.
UK suffering 'record hunger' and should facilitate visit by UN special rapporteur, Labor MP says (PA)
It accused Theresa May's government of being in a “state of categorical denial” and said the Department for Work and Pensions had “designed a digitalised and sterile version of the 19th century workhouse made infamous by Charles Dickens”. I am tasked with doing so.”
Ian Byrne, a Labor MP and member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, accused the government of “postponing” Professor Fakhri's visit until 2025.
He added: “With record levels of hunger across the UK, this independent brief is needed to examine the causes and provide solutions, including ensuring the right to legislate now. It’s necessary,” he added.
Jess McQuail, director of the charity Just Fair, which co-ordinated the letter, said: “While the UK government claims to be recruiting all UN experts, in reality it prefers procrastination and postponement as a way to deny access and avoid scrutiny.”
“The UK Government recognizes its total failure and it is time that freedom from hunger and access to good food is recognized as a fundamental human right.”
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been contacted for comment.