Responding to new statistics from the Trussell Trust published today, which reveal food banks in the Trust’s network distributed a staggering 349,935 food parcels across the East of England over the last year, including 135,038 which were provided to vulnerable children.

Across the country, a record 3.1 million food parcels were distributed, up 94% over the last five years,

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Ipswich, Jack Abbott, said:

“These figures reveal the devastating impact of the Conservative cost of living crisis for families in our region. After 14 years of failure the Conservatives have given up and local families are paying the price.

“The fact that nearly over 135,000 food parcels were provided to children in the East of England by the Trussell Trust alone is a damning indictment of our society under the Conservatives.

“Labour has a plan to get Britain moving again – creating jobs and opportunities and lifting people out of poverty in every corner of the country, including right here in Ipswich.

“Every day, all around us, the evidence is mounting higher and higher – it is time for change. Rishi Sunak should stop wasting time and call the General Election we desperately need.”