Johnny Mercer has sparked a furious backlash online after suggesting military personnel using food banks is a “personal decision”.
The armed forces minister was speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News about the rising number of people in the armed forces having to choose between ‘food or fuel’ after an investigation found some are unable to afford to drive home from their base to see family.
In January, Sky News found instances of one aviator, a single mother, who was forced to go without a hot meal for four days because she had spent her last money on baby milk formula.
It also revealed that the volume of enquiries to a key charity from or on behalf of military personnel seeking financial support has more than doubled.
Pressed on the matter by Burley, Mercer said: “Look, these are these are personal decisions around, how people, are budgeting every month. I don’t want to see anyone using food banks. Of course I don’t.
“But we’re you know, we’re in an extremely difficult time around the cost of living. I’ll always advocate for service personnel to get paid more. I’d be mad not to, but it has to be, you know, within the constraints of a budget.
“And to be fair, you know, this prime minister only two years ago gave defence the biggest settlement that we’ve seen since the end of the Cold War. Actually. So, look, I think none of these things are black and white.”
Watch the clip in full below:
Related: Telegraph columnist says he was branded a ‘slave driver’ over poxy nanny wage
