Every 11 seconds, someone in the UK needs an emergency food parcel. That’s nearly 3 million parcels in just one year, a staggering rise of 51% in five years. Behind every single one is a parent skipping meals, a child going to school hungry, or a pensioner choosing between heating and eating. In one of the richest countries on Earth, this is not just unacceptable, it’s shameful.
Food poverty is no longer a fringe issue. It’s a national emergency unfolding in plain sight. And yet, successive governments have treated hunger as something that charity should solve, not policy. This approach has failed. Hunger is not a result of bad luck or poor choices, it’s a direct outcome of political decisions that have eroded the social safety net and ignored growing inequality.
Earlier this year, the United Nations delivered a scathing verdict on the UK’s record. It called for urgent action, urging the government to enshrine economic and social rights including the right to food into domestic law. These aren’t abstract principles. They’re the foundation of dignity, security, and justice. When food becomes a legal right, governments must act not just sympathise.
Giving legal status to the right to food would be a game-changer. It would force decision-makers to confront the root causes of hunger and build policies that guarantee access to nutritious food for all, not just for those who can afford it. It would transform emergency food aid from a charitable gesture into a matter of entitlement and respect.
Labour has a rare opportunity to lead with courage and clarity. Enshrining the right to food would be a powerful signal that the party stands with those left behind and is ready to fix a broken system. This is more than a policy idea. It’s a test of political values. In a country where no one should go hungry, making food a legal right is the bold, just, and necessary step forward
