Jacob Rees-Mogg: Increased Use Of Food Banks Is "Rather Uplifting"

14 September 2017, 15:14 | Updated: 18 December 2017, 13:45

Jacob Rees-Mogg described the increased use of foodbanks as "rather uplifting" and suggested they are more popular because the Labour government refused to tell people about them.

The Conservative grassroots favourite told LBC radio the only reason for the rise in their use was "that people know that they are there".

When challenged by a caller about the increased use of food banks, Mr Rees-Mogg told Nick Ferrari."To have charitable support given by people voluntarily to support their fellow citizens I think is rather uplifting and shows what a good, compassionate country we are.

"Inevitably, the state can't do everything, so I think that there is good within food banks.

"The real reason for the rise in numbers is that people know that they are there and Labour deliberately didn't tell them."

Jacob Rees-Mogg spoke to Nick Ferrari
Jacob Rees-Mogg spoke to Nick Ferrari. Picture: LBC

During the phone-in with Nick, Rees-Mogg also insisted he had no leadership ambitions, adding: "I have no wish to become leader of the Conservative party. I’m fully supporting Mrs May.

"I am completely backing Mrs May and no one serious thinks that I am a credible candidate."

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

LBC callers react to Netanyahu calling out Starmer for being on the 'wrong side of humanity'

LBC callers react to Netanyahu calling out Starmer for being on the 'wrong side of humanity'

LBC callers react as the UK suspends trade talks with Israel

LBC callers react as the UK suspends trade talks with Israel

LBC callers react: UK, France and Canada threaten Israel with sanctions

LBC callers react: UK, France and Canada threaten Israel with sanctions

LBC caller ‘annoyed’ by reaction to UK-EU deal

LBC caller ‘annoyed’ by reaction to UK-EU deal

LBC caller tells Nick Ferrari: "You've got everything wrong for the last decade"

LBC caller tells Nick Ferrari: "You've got everything wrong for the last decade"

Gary Lineker 'to quit the BBC this week' | LBC reaction

LBC reaction: Gary Lineker quits the BBC

LBC callers react as Keir Starmer signs off his 'Brexit reset'

LBC callers react as Keir Starmer signs off his 'Brexit reset'

'British people don't want to pick fruit...'

Nick Ferrari won't take this caller's reasoning for the '9m economically inactive' in the UK

LBC caller’s plan to fix the care home sector

LBC caller’s plan to fix the care home sector

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

'Kemi Badnoch needs to get over herself'

'Woo-hoo!’: LBC caller reacts to the US-UK trade deal

'We went from back of the queue with Obama, to this'

Scottish farmer Murdo says that the US-UK deal is 'a big win for prime beef'

'In the Middle East, you're a laughing stock"

Caller Stewart says UK migration policy is "stirring up trouble"

'It's not a levelled playing field, is it...?'

LBC callers are divided over the UK-India trade deal

'we can hit net zero by accident'

Kneecap, Reform's 'turquoise tidal wave' and never leaving the UK | LBC's best callers of the week

'he'll bankrupt us, free speech is dead'

As Reform wins big, this LBC caller says 'Britain should be run by businesspeople'