Ministers need to admit that benefits problems are linked to food bank use

David Prior (Lord Prior of Brampton) is no toff, he’s a modest man. He had a career in merchant banking then another in the steel industry. In his previous Parliamentary incarnation he was a diligent constituency Member for a not very affluent part of Norfolk. Like most Parliamentarians, he was a good deal closer to ‘real people’ than any departmental officials, journalists, special advisers or spin-doctors. Leaving The House hors de combat in 2001, he pursued a thoughtful and blameless life in the NHS and in education. Now he is a Health Minister. He knows about statistics.

David Freud (Baron Freud of Eastry) is also a modest man. Great grandson of Sigmund, he carved a career first in journalism – as Lex in the FT for four years. Later he floated Eurotunnel and EuroDisney – and saved the Channel Tunnel rail link and National Air Traffic. For Tony Blair, he wrote the review of the welfare to work system.