Chancellor Rishi Sunak has reportedly been banned from a pub in his constituency after voting against a plan to extend free school meals for children over the holidays.
The Labour motion was rejected by 322 votes to 261 on Wednesday, as families across the country face financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic.
Alex Cook, who owns The Mill pub and its restaurant Il Mulino in Stokesley, North Yorkshire has now confirmed he will refuse entry to Mr Sunak.
Tory MPs Jacob Young, Simon Clarke and Matt Vickers will also be barred after voting against Marcus Rashford’s proposal.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Cook said it was a ‘personal protest’ to get people to pay attention.
He said: ‘I thought it was the only way I could get people to listen and see how poor the decision is to allow children to go hungry in 2020.
‘Anyone with a decent moral compass would realise that for a government that has spent £12bn on a Test and Trace system that doesn’t work, to not fund food for hungry children is ridiculous and can’t be allowed to happen.’
Mr Cook claims to have been ‘harassed’ by supporters of Mr Sunak after making his decision – but says he has also received lots of support from other people.
He is not aware of Mr Sunak visiting the pub previously but says the chancellor ‘definitely knows it exists’.
Mr Cook has admitted he wouldn’t normally punish a member of the community for issues linked to their job role but insisted he must stand up for what he believes in.
He said: ‘If I have upset people by this I genuinely apologise and I do appreciate all that the government has done for me and other businesses during this pandemic, but I had to do this.’
Many local authorities, pubs, cafes and restaurants have announced they will step in and provide food for children facing poverty during the October half-term.
Footballer Mr Rashford said he was signing off Twitter ‘with a feeling of pride’ tonight.
He said: ‘The superstars of this nation lie in local communities. Even after taking the biggest hits you have wrapped your arms around your community to catch children as they fell. I really can’t thank you enough, you’re amazing.’
Mr Sunak’s office has declined to comment.
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