LBC Presenter Slams Food Bank Users

[Deleted User] · 08/12/14 - 05:42

Graveyard shift LBC shock jock Steve Allen today labelled food bank users as 'thieves' and people who don't really need to use them at all. The comments are sure to infuriate thousands of struggling benefit claimants and those on low wages who rely on food banks regularly.

What do you think about food banks? Are LBC right to slam them or is their most contentious presenter bang out of order?

hanssolo · 08/12/14 - 06:29

He was probably commenting on this?
http://www.lbc.co.uk/archbishop-welby-warns-hunger-stalks-the-uk-101564

Archbishop Welby wrote about his visit to a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the scene that he encountered.

"It was deeply shocking but, tragically, expected," he wrote.

"A few weeks later in England, I was talking to some people - a mum, dad and one child - in a food bank.

"They were ashamed to be there. The dad talked miserably.

"He said they had each been skipping a day's meals once a week in order to have more for the child, but then they needed new tyres for the car so they could get to work at night, and just could not make ends meet.

"So they had to come to a food bank. They were treated with respect, love even, by the volunteers from local churches. But they were hungry, and ashamed to be hungry.

"I found their plight more shocking. It was less serious, but it was here."

The sharp increase in the number of food banks across the country in recent years has proved politically divisive.

Earlier this year, ministers were accused of "taking food from the mouths of children" after blocking millions of pounds of European funding agreed for British food banks.

Cash to help people suffering extreme poverty across the EU was backed in a vote at the European Parliament but the Government said food aid was better decided nationally rather than by Brussels.

Archbishop Welby has called for changes to allow food companies to pass on goods they could no longer sell.

Under the current system it costs retailers to give away surplus food to the hungry.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "As a country we have enough food to go around, and we agree that it is wrong that anyone should go hungry at the same time as surplus food is going to waste.

"There is a moral argument as well as a sustainability one to ensure we make the best use of resources.

"While this report outlines important areas for consideration, we should remember that this country has been through the deepest recession in living memory, and sticking to this Government's long-term economic plan is the best way to improve living standards."

steveh31 · 08/12/14 - 06:46

blackcountryboy wrote: »

Graveyard shift LBC shock jock Steve Allen today labelled food bank users as 'thieves' and people who don't really need to use them at all. The comments are sure to infuriate thousands of struggling benefit claimants and those on low wages who rely on food banks regularly.

What do you think about food banks? Are LBC right to slam them or is their most contentious presenter bang out of order?

Of course they can it's a talk radio station it would be bloody boring if they just went "food banks are bad aren't they" "yes they are Steve" "what do you think Dorothy from Tooting?" "Yes they are bad".

People need to get a grip it's called debate.

Charlie Drake · 08/12/14 - 07:28

steveh31 wrote: »

Of course they can it's a talk radio station it would be bloody boring if they just went "food banks are bad aren't they" "yes they are Steve" "what do you think Dorothy from Tooting?" "Yes they are bad".

People need to get a grip it's called debate.

Not in the case of Steve Allen it isn't. It's a monologue.

[Deleted User] · 08/12/14 - 08:52

Yes, yes but what does Little Julie or Bryn and Annie think?

SA is an anti everything whatever the circumstances - the whole show is one massive rant about something or other.... take no notice, it's what he does with daily regularity.

Insert yawn smiley...

radioviewer · 08/12/14 - 10:35

Why do people still listen to this odious little man?

wendy09 · 08/12/14 - 12:23

radioviewer wrote: »

Why do people still listen to this odious little man?

in the hope he will be funny. hes just nasty though

Station ID · 08/12/14 - 13:53

wendy09 wrote: »

in the hope he will be funny. hes just nasty though

Steve Allen's show is very entertaining if you only listen to it once in a while. He basically sounds like an old queen having a rant and yes sometimes it's funny and entertaining. Every day however it's boring and just the same stuff day in day out.

LBC can sometimes be brilliant but compared to the BBC it's very tabloid.

FrankBT · 08/12/14 - 16:50

Station ID wrote: »

Steve Allen's show is very entertaining if you only listen to it once in a while. He basically sounds like an old queen having a rant and yes sometimes it's funny and entertaining. Every day however it's boring and just the same stuff day in day out.

LBC can sometimes be brilliant but compared to the BBC it's very tabloid.

When was it last 'brilliant' There was a time when it was very good listening in the days of Brian Hayes, Adrian Love, Richard Littlejohn, Mike Dickin, Sandi Toksvig etc. But that was a long time ago. Since Global took it over several years ago, the quality has plummeted just like every radio station that has suffered when Global bought them.

The_Moth · 08/12/14 - 17:17

Station ID wrote: »

Steve Allen's show is very entertaining if you only listen to it once in a while. He basically sounds like an old queen having a rant and yes sometimes it's funny and entertaining. Every day however it's boring and just the same stuff day in day out.

LBC can sometimes be brilliant but compared to the BBC it's very tabloid.

"sounds like"?

radiodad · 08/12/14 - 18:12

FrankBT wrote: »

Since Global took it over several years ago, the quality has plummeted just like every radio station that has suffered when Global bought them.

The listening figures have also gone up (a lot) just like every other radio station Global bought. Funny that, but hey all i'm doing is using facts so i must be wrong.

Charlie Drake · 08/12/14 - 18:21

radiodad wrote: »

The listening figures have also gone up (a lot) just like every other radio station Global bought. Funny that, but hey all i'm doing is using facts so i must be wrong.

What we have here is a classic case of inverse proportionality, Watson! ;-)

connor the judg · 08/12/14 - 18:52

blackcountryboy wrote: »

Graveyard shift LBC shock jock Steve Allen today labelled food bank users as 'thieves' and people who don't really need to use them at all. The comments are sure to infuriate thousands of struggling benefit claimants and those on low wages who rely on food banks regularly.

What do you think about food banks? Are LBC right to slam them or is their most contentious presenter bang out of order?

Yes, Food banks are one of the most boring radio topics.

Thine Wonk · 08/12/14 - 19:30

I wouldn't exactly call him a shock jock, this country has had about 2 genuinely good shock jocks, Steve doesn't even touch the sides in that regard.

I'm not saying Steve isn't good, I just disagree with your categorisation of him.

FrankBT · 08/12/14 - 20:02

radiodad wrote: »

The listening figures have also gone up (a lot) just like every other radio station Global bought. Funny that, but hey all i'm doing is using facts so i must be wrong.

Your 'facts' about every other Global station increasing its audience is flawed. In the case of Classic FM their biggest station, their audience has actually been in decline since 2001.

http://media.info/radio/stations/classic-fm/listening-figures

On the other hand with LBC their gain in listeners just might be something to do with the fact they went national on DAB early this year so increased their reach.. So LBC's increased 'popularity' is distorted by that factor alone. The one thing thing that has decreased there remarkably since Global ownership is the quality. No doubt about that.

Chuck Wao · 08/12/14 - 20:28

It's disgusting

connor the judg · 09/12/14 - 19:17

Thine Wonk wrote: »

I wouldn't exactly call him a shock jock, this country has had about 2 genuinely good shock jocks, Steve doesn't even touch the sides in that regard.

I'm not saying Steve isn't good, I just disagree with your categorisation of him.

Who are the " 2 genuinely good shock jocks" then?

Mike Rackabit · 09/12/14 - 19:31

"I'm not remotely interested ladies and gentlemen, I don't give a stuff, you're dreary, a barmy, you must be mentally ill, are you on medication, sweetpea? Katie Price, Kerry Koke-tona *sniffs theatrically*, chicken skin, you're fat, a lardy, a hefty hideaway girl, get a diet sheet from the doctor, fatty fat fat, candles, the jackets, 84850, steveatlbcdotcodotuk, 848...5...0"

radioviewer · 09/12/14 - 20:07

Julia HB would say - "Time to exterminate the poor"

Iain Dale would say - "The poor? They don't vote Conservative. Should we kill them all? 0345 6060973...."

Nick Ferrari would say - "The poor, leave them alone if they buy The Sun, but if they don't then kill them. LIsa Aziz, NEWS."

CitySlicker · 09/12/14 - 20:54

radioviewer wrote: »

Julia HB would say - "Time to exterminate the poor"

Iain Dale would say - "The poor? They don't vote Conservative. Should we kill them all? 0345 6060973...."

Nick Ferrari would say - "The poor, leave them alone if they buy The Sun, but if they don't then kill them. LIsa Aziz, NEWS."

James O'Brien would say - "Just how do we solve this problem and why are some people ready to instantly jump on the poor"

Ken Livingstone would say - "As former mayor I have seen this problem for myself and agree we need to work on solutions to support the needy"

For every centre-right wing view, the centre-left wing gets a fair airing too and I think some people are a bit too quick to pounce on political bias.

As for Steve Allen he's doing what he has done for years. Provocative opinion, off he goes. It'll be something else tomorrow. Love him or loathe him, he has the highest audience pull in London for that time slot and people do tune in for him. I haven't heard anyone in person think he's being that serious though.

(As it goes I stopped listening to him if I was trying to go to sleep, I found him too engaging even without any callers, his format does work well for that time slot).

Thine Wonk · 09/12/14 - 20:55

connor the judg wrote: »

Who are the " 2 genuinely good shock jocks" then?

Nick Abbott might have been in his Virgin days, and possibly old school James Whale too, certainly not Steve Allan though.

Charlie Drake · 09/12/14 - 21:06

Thine Wonk wrote: »

Nick Abbott might have been in his Virgin days, and possibly old school James Whale too, certainly not Steve Allan though.

Brian Hayes was the guv'nor.
Steve Allen, Cristo and Olly Mann all a good cure for insomnia, I find. Background noise of little note.

Thine Wonk · 09/12/14 - 21:14

There's still Nick Abbott Virgin audio online http://archive.nickabbot.info/ scroll down to the Virgin Radio part.

I never heard Brian Hayes, but James Whale, Tommy Boyd and Nick Abbott arguably fit into the category of shock jock.

Steve Allen is more likely to bore you about the butcher in Richmond highstreet and then make a few bitchy comments about Sheryl Cole, Nick Abbott would do things like call through to other radio station's swichboards live on air trying to get through, whilst making derogatory comments about the music they were playing and then wind up the presenter that answered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzkmTv9RJ7M

Charlie Drake · 09/12/14 - 21:40

Thine Wonk wrote: »

There's still Nick Abbott Virgin audio online http://archive.nickabbot.info/ scroll down to the Virgin Radio part.

I never heard Brian Hayes, but James Whale, Tommy Boyd and Nick Abbott arguably fit into the category of shock jock.

Steve Allen is more likely to bore you about the butcher in Richmond highstreet and then make a few bitchy comments about Sheryl Cole, Nick Abbott would do things like call through to other radio station's swichboards live on air trying to get through, whilst making derogatory comments about the music they were playing and then wind up the presenter that answered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzkmTv9RJ7M

I wish Nick Abbott would still push the envelope. He's become very, very safe and repetitive, although I do still like him. Probably management directives.

radioviewer · 09/12/14 - 21:53

CitySlicker wrote: »

James O'Brien would say - "Just how do we solve this problem and why are some people ready to instantly jump on the poor"

Ken Livingstone would say - "As former mayor I have seen this problem for myself and agree we need to work on solutions to support the needy"

For every centre-right wing view, the centre-left wing gets a fair airing too and I think some people are a bit too quick to pounce on political bias.

As for Steve Allen he's doing what he has done for years. Provocative opinion, off he goes. It'll be something else tomorrow. Love him or loathe him, he has the highest audience pull in London for that time slot and people do tune in for him. I haven't heard anyone in person think he's being that serious though.

(As it goes I stopped listening to him if I was trying to go to sleep, I found him too engaging even without any callers, his format does work well for that time slot).

Er, no it doesn't. The far right are given a hell of a hearing on LBC with Ferrari, JHB and Dale in prime time positions. At night you also get the far right with Barkes and the Mummy's boy in Mann. Any 'left wing' opinion is always tempered with a right winger, so Ken doesn't fly solo. And Larry "Mockney" Lamb really doesn't count because his show is about as political as a vegetarian fart.

Jonny_RottenNI · 09/12/14 - 22:38

radioviewer wrote: »

Er, no it doesn't. The far right are given a hell of a hearing on LBC with Ferrari, JHB and Dale in prime time positions. At night you also get the far right with Barkes and the Mummy's boy in Mann. Any 'left wing' opinion is always tempered with a right winger, so Ken doesn't fly solo. And Larry "Mockney" Lamb really doesn't count because his show is about as political as a vegetarian fart.

That's commercial radio. And if that's what brings the listeners in, and the ad revenue, that's their choice. Same with newspapers.

And they will always lean more to the right. Labour want the state to run and control everything so they won't be keen on getting their views across on a nasty capatalist station that makes money for people. Free trade. ugh.

Hey there!

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LBC Presenter Slams Food Bank Users

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