A tweet by the Brexit Party aimed at shaming Tory MPs who voted against extending free school lunches has been slammed online.
Nigel Farage shared a Brexit Party post on Twitter which showed a plate half empty along with the caption: “The Tories will support ‘eat out to help out’ but they won’t spend a few quid to help a poor kid.”
This comes after 322 Tory MPs last week voted down a motion by Labour to extend free school meals over the holidays until Easter 2021.
This had led to major backlash by the public. In one instance, constituents in Tory MP David Amess’ Southend West constituency left empty plates with messages on them outside his office in protest.
North Devon MP Selaine Saxby has faced calls to resign after she failed to apologise for telling local businesses which provide kids with free food not apply for government support.
Writing on Facebook after businesses stepped in to feed hungry children over the holidays, Saxby said: “I am delighted that our local businesses have bounced back so much after lockdown they are able to give away food for free, and very much hope they will not be seeking any further government support”.
Wading into the debate, Nigel Farage retweeted a message from the Brexit Party’s official Twitter account which read: “The government was happy to help adults to eat out in August, but now it lets the poorest children go hungry during the school holidays.
“Does this seem fair to you?”
The Government was happy to help adults to eat out in August, but now it lets the poorest children go hungry during the school holidays.
Does this seem fair to you? pic.twitter.com/EhmLzERFo6
— The Brexit Party (@brexitparty_uk) October 26, 2020
People were mixed in their response to the tweet.
Richard Littler posted: “The Brexit Party becoming socialist Bolsheviks was not on my 2020 bingo card.”
The Brexit Party becoming socialist Bolsheviks was not on my 2020 bingo card. https://t.co/wy9K7JCk03
— Richard Littler (@richard_littler) October 26, 2020
Aleesha Khaliq said: “YOU lot propped [the Tory Party] up in 2019 despite austerity being the reason for 120,000 extra deaths in the UK pre-2019. You’re two sides of the same coin.”
Panny Antoniou wrote: “‘I agree with the Brexit Party’ Now I feel dirty.”
“2020 is weird,” posted Huw.
2020 is weird https://t.co/mg9fY5K1Ky
— Huw🏴 (@ccfchuw) October 26, 2020
Sean added: “Imagine a policy being so shit that Labour and the Brexit Party join sides to dunk on you”
Reminder, for no particular reason, that The Brexit Party was instrumental in giving us our current Tory government. pic.twitter.com/cWmagWtndH
— aka. PumpkinSpice8Rack (@Spice8Rack) October 26, 2020
One user quipped: “Think I’ve crossed into a parallel universe…”
Abbie added: “You know things are messed up when the Brexit Party start making sense.”
you know things are messed up when the brexit party start making sense https://t.co/q02ZhSbwqA
— abbie (@COUNTRYYHOUSE) October 26, 2020
“Heartbreaking, the worst person you know just made a great point,” wrote another.
Others accused the Brexit Party of jumping on the bandwagon.
One user wrote: “I thought better of the Brexit Party, but clearly I was wrong. This kind of political bandwagoning won’t get my vote at the next general election. I was thinking of voting for your party, if it was an option, too.”