Recently I felt moved to write to Jacob Rees-Mogg to see how he could reconcile presenting himself as a man of faith with his support for a government demonstrably lacking in charity. He professes to be a Catholic, a member of a church based on charity.
I drew his attention first of all to the rise in requests for donations to food banks. All churches and many supermarkets have corners where food can be donated. I asked if he had never stopped to wonder why there are so many.
Next, I spoke of UNICEF donating to feed children in London. Did our man of faith ask why UNICEF thought this was necessary? No - he castigated them, saying that this organisation ought to be concentrating on helping children in war-torn and famine-stricken areas. This, I wrote, from someone who supports a government that has decided to cut foreign aid.
I mentioned some quotes from the bible - Corinthians 13.2: "I may have all the faith needed to move mountains, but if I have no love, I am nothing"; and John 21 15-17: "Lord you know that I love You", and the reply " Feed my lambs."
In this respect, we have seen questionable responses. “Feed my lambs”? Yes, but give them the minimum and let companies squeeze a profit where possible. Social media has featured pictures of the disappointing food parcels given to children during lockdown. The government and the prime minister rushed to condemn these as disgraceful. But on January 13th at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, read out from the government's own guidance on school meals:
: one loaf of bread
: two baking potatoes
: block of cheese
: baked beans
: three yoghurts
: tin of sweetcorn
: packet of ham
: bottle of milk
This supposedly constitutes a week's food for a child. The food parcels were variants of this - some with even worse content.
There is some debate about the cost of these parcels, but a £15 pound figure seems the most likely – in which case only food of epicurean standards should be included.
My grandchildren have dietary requirements - one has a severe egg allergy, the other is autistic, which greatly affects food choices. Supermarket vouchers would mean parents could choose what they know their children can eat. And no packaging and delivery costs!
Where is the justice here? Meagre food parcels for children while Members of Parliament have subsidised meals; a COVID crisis in which many suffer both in health and in income, while companies make huge profits from providing essential supplies which on more than one occasion have proved not to be fit for purpose.
This is not my idea of a man of faith. This is someone who brings shame to the religion he professes to follow. Shame on you Mr Rees-Mogg: when will Justice and Peace prevail?
PS: I have had no response from Mr Rees Mogg.