Kelly A reminder of their values

those who don’t need help and further inflating property prices.

Much is made by politicians about their Christian values yet their actions rarely square with them. I suggest if May wants to be reminded of her Christian values she could do worse than visit the Newcastle West End Food Bank.

It is the largest food bank in the UK, thanks in no small part to Newcastle being the guinea pig for the full roll out of Universal Credit and its disastrous consequences. The fundamental problem is that while the previous benefit is stopped immediately on transfer, it takes six weeks for UC to kick in. It affects the most needy and vulnerable in society which brings them to food banks like that in the West End.

Launched five years ago by Michael Nixon and his late friend Steve Metcalfe, they expected it to last a year, tops. In March next year it celebrates its fifth anniversary.

I was at its annual Christmas ‘service’ last week. As it’s an enterprise run by the Trussell Trust, a Christian charity, and me being a lapsed Catholic and arch cynic, I thought it meant church service and wondered if this was the string attached to getting your food.

When I turned up, I found I was completely wrong. Service meant serving food. A three course meal to all comers and a 22kg food crate containing about £35 worth of food to the poor and needy, many working but paid so little they struggle to afford the basics.

It’s been a while since I’ve been reminded that Christmas is a Christian festival (granted nicked from the Pagans). In the New Year we can only hope that one day the true Christian spirit will somehow get through to our socalled leaders like May. Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan