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Conservative leadership favourite Jacob Rees-Mogg has said the growing use of food banks in the UK is “rather uplifting”.

The Tory MP insisted that rather than demonstrating the scale of poverty in the country, the development showed what a “good compassionate country we are.”

Speaking to LBC radio Mr Rees-Mogg said: “I don’t think the state can do everything that it tries.

“It provides a basic level of welfare… but on some occasions that will not work and 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.”

Food bank use is on the rise, with data from the Trussell Trust indicating the country’s food banks provided more than a million emergency food supplies to UK people last year.

Mr Rees-Mogg attributed the rise to the fact that people now “know they are there.”

“The real reason for the rise in numbers is because people know they are there and Labour refused to tell them.”

The fact that Jacob Rees-Mogg is being blasted over his comment is absurd. He's totally right in saying that the state can't do everything, and it can't help everyone. Name me one country in the world with 0 poverty and 0 homelessness, I don't think you can. We once had to rely on food banks, not a fault of anyone else, my mum had mental health issues so it was our last resort, and without them our family would have starved. Do I believe that the state should have provided us with food and or money because my parent was totally incapable of budgeting? Hell no. It's amazing that people are so generous to donate food, and I am grateful to now be in the position to return the favour and donate food myself.