The Foodbank Nurse

The Foodbank Nurse refers to a series of posts and tweets surrounding Claire Austin, a member of the audience during an election debate ahead of the 2017 United Kingdom general election. She claimed that she had to use foodbanks due to living on a poor salary being a nurse.

Origin

In the run up to the 2017 United Kingdom general election, the BBC held regional debates including one in Scotland which was broadcasted on 21st May, 2017 ahead of the election on 8th June, 2018.

The debate which was moderated by BBC Scotland journalist Sarah Smith included the leaders of the main political parties in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party), Kezia Dugdale (Scottish Labour Party), Ruth Davidson (Scottish Conservative Party), Willie Rennie (Scottish Liberal Democrats), Patrick Harvie (Scottish Green Party) and David Coburn (UK Independence Party).

During the programme, Claire Austin, a nurse from Edinburgh, Scotland who was an audience member verbally attacked Scottish National Party leader, Nicola Sturgeon on the question of a second independence referendum and claimed that she had used foodbanks due to the 'poor salary' she was earning as a nurse.

Claire was asked to appear on the programme as she was unable to answer her question when she was on Question Time, a BBC political and current affairs debate programme.

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Public reaction

After the debate finished, Twitter users had questioned if her statement was true and many started speculating that she was falsely claiming about having to use foodbanks.

When she appeared on Question Time previously, she was sitting next to a Conservative councillor who many had claimed was her husband including SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC who quickly retracted her statement when it was denied by Claire Austin.

Nurses paid £21,692 – £28,180

This nurse is the wife of a #Tory Councillor

What foodbank did she go to?#LeadersDebate#BBCBias pic.twitter.com/A4zwqHOW9l

— Chilli Palmer (@SinnersCafe) May 21, 2017

Many had found Claire Austin's Twitter account which showed pictures of her in New York City at a five star hotel, the Edinburgh Malmaison Hotel and pictures of herself drinking champagne and wine and started criticising and mocking her online.

This nurse has no credibility she is lying 4 the Tories a Tory plant dont believe a word she says I bet she has never been in a foodbank pic.twitter.com/RLR1aZtL4i

— Wee L #Freedom…. (@l_ronaldson) May 21, 2017

Hi, Claire Austin here, nurse and regular #foodbank user reporting from #NewYork on the plight of the #hungry#bbcqt#LeadersDebate pic.twitter.com/LooRCfjX1r

— Chilli Palmer (@SinnersCafe) May 22, 2017

So, #foodbankNurse from the #LeadersDebate is on Facebook as Claire Austin and @ClaireNursey. Must be Pimms o'clock at her foodbank. #lies pic.twitter.com/d5Spflanjh

— Kerry (@ProlificCynic) May 21, 2017

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale had criticised the SNP's handling of the abuse given from Scottish independence supporters towards Austin.

In the wake of the abuse, a spokesman for the SNP already released a statement saying that the abuse towards Austin it was 'unacceptable behaviour'.

In June 2017, Claire Austin was spotted eating in a Edinburgh restaurant where she was verbally attacked by a Scottish independence supporter.

Claire Austin's reaction

After the debate, she was sent verbal and abusive tweets after the claims that she lied having to use foodbanks went viral. She had tweeted that she was not married to a Conservative councillor and that the trips were paid for by family and friends.

A BBC journalist had come to interview her in the wake of the election debate and she claimed that Claire Austin was emotionally upset and crying due to the abuse she was given.