READING about the unfortunate individuals having their Job Seeker benefits suspended, I thought our MP Hugh Bayley should be congratulated in bringing this to our notice. Then I realised it was just to make a political point in the Punch and Judy style.

Food banks only appeared in 2000 when an enterprising and creative charity realised they could source surplus food and distribute it to the needy.

Since then there has been an exponential rise in their use and number.

This is great news for those in hard times, and the charities have done a great job. They are decent human beings who care about their fellow citizens.

Food banks were not started by our self-seeking politicians, who seemingly couldn’t care less.

Sadly, it’s our benefits culture which allows over-taxed and over-regulated employers to game the system. Low-paid workers on benefits subsidise employers with our tax revenues.

The minimum wage has become the average wage, removing the premium for experienced staff.

This has caused corrosive high levels of youth unemployment.

The response from the DWP was reasonable and there is an appeals process. So what happened in the two cases of benefits sanctions?

John Young, Westwood Terrace, York.