A senior politician praised churches today for saving hundreds of thousands of people from poverty and hunger as Labour announced a new plan to cut food bank use.

Labour pledged today to bring down the number of people using food banks by tackling low pay and addressing injustices in the benefits system. Labour will also abolish the much-criticised bedroom tax.

Figures from the Trussell Trust food bank charity show that the number of people using food banks has increased from 41,000 in four years, to 913,000 last year.

Stephen Timms, shadow employment minister and committed Christian, told Christian Today that the recent accusation by a senior Conservative MP that the Trussell Trust is publicity seeking was "absurd and grotesque".

Timms, who was visiting a food bank near the Oasis Trust in Lambeth, south London today, said: "The truth is it's turned out in 21st century Britain that it has been the churches uniquely which have been able to put together this extraordinary network of volunteers and help. It's just as well they have, because a lot of people would have been in an absolutely desperate situation without the help of the food banks over the last few years."

Maria Eagle, shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary, said it was "nonsense" that people had become dependent on food banks and that the need had only arisen because of the supply. "We will collect statistics so we understand why so many people are having to resort to food banks." She said none in her constituency using the food banks actually wanted to.

Rachel Reeves, shadow work and pensions secretary, said people should to have to rely on charity to be able to support themselves and families. "The welfare state should be there when people need it and work should pay enough so that people who are working don't have to rely on charity to feed their family. We are determined to reduce the number of people having to go to food banks."

Labour said that emergency food aid should remain just that, and food banks should not be allowed to become a permanent feature of British society.

Earlier this week, Church leaders in the UK welcomed a call by MPs for an "urgent" review of benefits sanctions.

Their support for the Work and Pensions Select Committee proposal comes after a Church report found that nearly seven million weeks of sanctions were handed out to people in 2013/2014, with as many as 100,000 children affected.

People on sickness benefit because of a long-term mental health problem were being sanctioned at a rate of more than 100 per day.

"The Select Committee Report describes a system that is broken and needs urgent review," said Paul Morrison of the Methodist Church. "Churches are often at the forefront of helping people who have been sanctioned and who are in desperate need of food, support and advice. It is unacceptable that vulnerable people can be left with no means of support as punishment for often very minor mistakes."