Newly-assigned Poverty Tsar Frank Fielding is already in trouble with the Work and Pensions Department for suggesting that the poorest families in Britain must be willing to eat their own pets in order to get through dire economic problems rather than relying on the state for help. Mr Fielding made the startling comment at a home in Rippon where he was meeting the Chapman family, one of many locally who are on the breadline.
The children of the family were showing Mr Fielding their collection of pet rabbits, hamsters and chickens which they have hand-reared over the last two years. Mr Fielding, who claims to have been talking about the chickens in particular, upset the family by suggesting they could keep them for food.
Tim Chapman, age seven and his five year-old sister Julie were distraught, and after Mr Fielding hurriedly left the house, the children found to their dismay that one of their hamsters was missing. Tim ran out into the street where waiting reporters heard him shouting after the retreating MP. He then told them "My favourite hamster Cheryl has gone, and after what he said I reckon he ate her."
In a rushed apology, Mr Fielding said he certainly hadn't eaten the pet, but promised to send a replacement anyway.
