Renowned film director Ken Loach is making a film about benefits sanctions and foodbanks and has called for ‘public rage’ about the way that ‘hunger is now being used as a weapon’. He has also called on Jeremy Corbyn to do more to highlight the situation.{jcomments on}

Loach, famed as the director of Cathy Come Home told the Guardian that the situation is now ‘much worse’ than it was when he made that film.

“This is a real open wound in our society. We are just closing our eyes to this. The situation is much worse than in the days of Cathy Come Home, at least then if people had a trade they could have a job for life.

“Those jobs don’t exist now and working people are no longer in control of their own lives. All this is about dividing people into skivers and strivers. There needs to be public rage about this.”

He went on to say that:

“The present system is one of conscious cruelty. It bears down on those least able to bear it. The bureaucratic inefficiency is vindictive and hunger is being used as a weapon. People are being forced to look for work that doesn’t exist.”

“The idea that someone in the system can decide whether or not you can eat is appalling. Where is the Labour party on this? We should have the Tories on the run on this one.

“Come on Jeremy, we want to hear from you on this issue. People are feeling oppressed and crushed and powerless. What is the point of the Labour movement if not to give voice to people in these situations?”

You can read the full story in the Guardian.

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