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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Courtney Pochin

Voters outraged as foodbanks used as polling stations 'summing up state of UK'

Today people across the country are voting for the party and policies they feel are best for the UK.

Many people are heading out to fill in their ballot paper in hopes of creating a better future for all those who have suffered as a result of government cuts.

But for people who might not have had poverty at the forefront of their mind as they went to vote, there was a stark reminder of the harsh times we live in waiting for them as they arrived at their local polling station.

That's because a number of polling stations have ended up being located on the same sites as foodbanks.

A Foodbank in Edinburgh was forced to close (EdinFoodProject/Twitter)
A foodbank session was cancelled in Cardiff West (LeonjWard/Twitter)

Even more upsetting, was that several foodbanks were forced to close on the day of the election, as their regular venue was hosting a polling station and didn't have room for both.

The Edinburgh Food Project shared a post on Twitter informing their followers that the Rannoch Foodbank was shut due to the election.

They said: "IMPORTANT INFO REMINDER. Rannoch Foodbank is closed today as the host venue is being used as a polling station!"

Similarly, a Twitter user named Leon Ward shared a snap from his polling station in Cardiff West, where a foodbank session had been cancelled due to voting.

ating or eating 

A sign in the venue read: "NO FOODBANK session here due to the General Election .

"Foodbank will be open tomorrow FRIDAY December 13th 10:00 - 12:00."

He captioned the post, writing: "This was in my polling station. Surely it tells you everything you need to know about the state of the UK."

His post has since gone viral, garnering more than 2,000 likes and over 1,000 retweets.

ANGRY MUM CONFRONTS TOP TORY OUTSIDE CHURCH OVER FOODBANKS

Social media users didn't hold back with their thoughts on the closures and the doubling up of foodbanks.

One person said: "I can't believe what this country has become. So sad. Why not move the foodbank elsewhere? A day is a long time with an empty belly."

Another commented: "I've seen a few like this today. Polling stations in same venue as foodbanks. Crazy!"

A different user, named Juliet Horsley, had a similar experience when she went to vote in Surrey.

She tweeted: "The irony that my polling station is also the site of the local foodbank was not lost on me this morning. How anyone can cast a vote for the Tories in that place is beyond me."

Things were the same in Clapham, with a voter there posting: "Christ, there's a polling station in the same building as a foodbank in Clapham. F*** the Tories."

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust spoke to Mirror Online about the foodbank closures.

She said: "We’re seeing more and more people being pushed to foodbanks than ever before. People across the country, driven by compassion and a strong sense of justice, have been doing what they can to help, but we all want to see things change. It’s time for candidates on all sides to ensure these values are lived out in policies that anchor people from poverty.

"This General Election, all political parties must pledge to protect people from hunger by ensuring everyone has enough money for the basics. We want our next government to start working towards a future where no one needs a foodbank by ending the five week wait for Universal Credit; ensuring benefit payments cover the cost of living; and investing in local emergency support for people in crisis.

"Together, these three changes will put money back into the pockets of people who most need our support. It’s not right that anyone has to walk through the doors of a foodbank in the UK. But it’s in our power as a country to end the need for foodbanks - this can change."

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