The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for North Devon, Alex White has said “Selaine Saxby must go” after she failed to apologise for her letter to businesses on Friday evening.
The Conservative MP, who joined hundreds of other MPs in rejecting an extension to free school meals for vulnerable children over the holidays, took to Facebook after a raft of kindhearted businesses stepped in in the government’s place to ensure kids get fed.
She 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”.
Saxby stopped short of apologising after the comments sparked uproar over the weekend, saying she “deeply regretted” any offence which may have been caused.
But now White, the Lib Dem spokesperson for the constituency, is calling for her to go.
“Her position has become completely untenable. When thousands of people are responding to her on social media, it’s clear she has lost local support”, he said.
“It is clear that the hospitality industry is rightly appalled and I struggle to see how schools and care settings can be asked to work with an MP who so obviously doesn’t believe in free school meal extension. In some parts of North Devon, 1 in 3 children live in poverty – her comments are an insult not only to inspirational local eateries, but to parents and children across this constituency.
“This Tory MP has let down her constituency beyond belief. I really think she needs to consider the viability of her position against a backdrop of thousands of outraged constituents. In my opinion, she has proved not to represent the opinions of North Devon as she is elected to do and therefore, Saxby must go.”
A petition calling for the MP to step down has already picked up more than 2,000 signatures.
Read more on the campaign here.
Related: Petition to end subsidised food for MPs approaches 1m signatures