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Welsh Tory MP says people in poverty should rely on one another as the state can’t help everyone

05 Oct 2022 2 minute read
Robin Millar picture by Richard Townsend (CC BY 3.0).

A Welsh Conservative MP has suggested that people living in poverty should help each other as the UK Government can’t help everyone cope with the cost of living crisis.

Aberconwy MP Robin Millar made the remarks came in response to a question by Yahoo News UK on what the role the state has during the cost-of-living crisis.

Speaking at a discussion about poverty at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, he said that the state “can’t catch everything” and there is “a huge importance in… [making sure we] don’t tell people who are in a disadvantaged state that they can’t help other people”.

“When I’ve worked in some poor communities, it’s been very important for them to be able to help one another,” he said. “And this is important when we think of the state being the last resort.

“What that assumes is that we’re all passive recipients of benefits or goodness… the state [should not steamroller] the individual human dignity that comes with helping others around us.”

That could also mean that food banks were not “philosophically” a bad thing as they allowed people to help each other, he said. Aberconwy has “multiple food banks” and that it had been “quite inspirational” to see them working during the pandemic, he said.

“Frequently, we’re told: ‘There are food banks, that’s a damning indictment of the government’,” he said.

“But there’s a philosophical question there – about what is the balance of the role of community [versus]… state-led intervention.”

Robin Millar was one of the new intake of MPs elected at the 2019 General Election. He won the seat previously held by Conservative Guto Bebb who lost his whip due to his opposition to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. He has a majority of 2,034.


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Bethan Jones Parry
Bethan Jones Parry
2 years ago

O fy ngwlad! This is a car crash attempt to excuse and explain the cost of living crisis and the effect of post Brexit Conservative policies. I have never, ever, ever felt ‘inspirational’ about food banks. And are poor people by definition so multi skilled that they can help neighbours by, say, morphing into doctors, teachers, nurses etc etc overnight? We desperately need a Gerneral Election.

Ceramike
Ceramike
2 years ago

The reduction in support from social care since 2010 and onwards has seen the need for the charity sector take up many of the responsibilities that used to be funded by government. Robin Millar is continuing to try and shirk the government’s duty to protect all members of society for the benefit of a small section of wealthy individuals. The community has become the main provider of much of the efforts to help those less able. Were there to be an election then the community would offer Robin Millar the level of support his government is offering them. Bring on… Read more »

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago

One wonders what his idea of a state might be? Helping each other is the very essence of a state.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

We do, it’s called paying tax, all the various forms of tax. Someone should explain it to the Tory tax cheats…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Robin Millar, that looked like assault to me…

The original mark
The original mark
2 years ago

Only one word needed c*nt!

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
2 years ago

Does this muppet actually think we’re not hearing what he’s thinking? “I’m greedy and you lot can fend for yourselves.” This man is the human equivalent of a s**t shooting machine 🙄😒

Last edited 2 years ago by Owain Morgan
hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

Sounds like the sort that’s already looking for a new job. No electorate should return him at next GE. A spell out of work would do him the power of good, but there again they get a payoff if booted out of Parliament.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

We know how cruel these Tories are, sadly, no matter how cruel – there will still be people who will vote for them. We need independence so we can put legisation in place that – no not ban the Tories ( as much as many of us would like the idea!) but ban many of their cruel policies. The poor should not be left to fend for themselves, the rich should not get massive tax cuts and economic growth should not be the do all and end all.

Arwyn
Arwyn
2 years ago

Iesu Grist! Am dwll tin. Food banks ARE a damning indictment of the Government. Just apologise, tax the rich and make sure the poor – working people for the most part mind you – have enough money to give them a basic level of human dignity. That food banks are required at all is shamefull.

Slacker
Slacker
2 years ago

Tories are so far removed from reality now that they feel free to express their true feelings about the rest of us.

Let’s hope the electorate remember this, and wipe the remaining handful of Welsh Tories from the map at the next election.

I.Humphrys
I.Humphrys
2 years ago

Poverty of ideas from the Tories, unless one counts the Dickensian.

David Smith
David Smith
2 years ago

I get that it is indeed an age old question of personal responsibility and (un)deserving poor, but cut the crap. It’s the same old tripe dressed up again: Care in the Community, Big Society. The greatest irony is that the rich have far more to lose when the desperately poor end up going on the rob. 😉

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