MP tells 'shameful' story of how young boy stole burger from barbecue for his starving sister

The Easington MP said the film 'I, Daniel Blake' is a reality in his constituency as families struggle to make ends meet.

During the commons debate on Universal Credit, Easington MP Grahame Morris told a shocking story of a young boy who sneaked a burger into his pocket at a community barbecue to take home to his hungry sister.

Mr Morris related the story that he was told by Malcolm Fallow, chief executive of the East Durham Trust, at the organisation’s recent 10th anniversary event.

Mr Morris told MPs: “He spoke to me about a young boy who was attending the community barbecue, which was trying to feed some of the most deprived and vulnerable families in the community of Peterlee in my constituency.

“He said that the young boy put a burger in his pocket. When he was challenged about it, he said that he was taking it home to feed his hungry sister.

“That is an indictment in 2017. It is shameful and it should shame this House. It shames me that, in this great country of ours in 2017, children are going hungry because of a flawed benefit system.

“It is a system that can be fixed, and we have an opportunity to do that tonight.”

Mr Morris asked opposition MPs if they had watched the film I, Daniel Blake which he said was a reality in his constituency.

He added: “Some Conservative members imply that there is no hardship or deprivation; they should walk a week in my shoes and come to Horden, to Easington and to the foodbanks.”