July 25th 2024.
On the latest episode of This Morning, financial journalist Martin Lewis made headlines for standing up for children living in poverty during a heated discussion about the rising rates of shoplifting in the United Kingdom. Hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary were joined by guests Nick Ferrari and Ashley James to discuss the recent reports of a 20-year high in shoplifting, with 50 offences being recorded every hour.
Ashley James shared her heartbreaking observation that people are turning to shoplifting to feed their families in a first-world country like the UK, pointing to poverty as a likely reason for the increase. She highlighted the alarming statistic that 4.3 million children are living in poverty, which amounts to nine children in each class of 30.
However, Nick Ferrari argued that the rise in shoplifting was due to gangs and did not support the idea of people resorting to such criminal acts to make ends meet. This is when Martin Lewis, who was sitting on the sidelines, interjected with a passionate response.
He called out Nick for his incorrect statement that most people find a way to balance their finances, citing statistics that show over 50% of people seeking help from Citizens Advice Bureau are still struggling to make ends meet. Martin emphasized that this is a tragic reality in our country and that poverty is a real issue that needs to be addressed.
Despite Nick's attempts to speak, Martin asked him to let him finish his point. He raised his voice to express his frustration with the current state of poverty in the UK, stating that while shoplifting should not be tolerated, there also needs to be zero tolerance for families not having enough food to feed their children.
Viewers were quick to praise Martin for his comments, with many applauding him for standing up for children living in poverty. Some even described him as "schooling" Nick with his statements and statistics. This Morning airs weekdays from 10 am on ITV1.
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