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Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been expelled from a pub in his constituency for voting against an extension of free school meals.
Alex Cook, owner of The Mill pub and his restaurant Il Mulino in North yorkshireStokesley, confirmed media reports that he will be denied entry to Lord sunak and three other Conservative MPs because they voted against a proposal to extend the plan during the holidays in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
He told Sky News it was a “personal protest” to permanently ban Sunak, along with Jacob Young, Simon Clarke and Matt Vickers, from visiting the pub, which is in the Chancellor’s constituency in Richmond, York.
The Mill has prohibited the visit of several deputies. Photo: Facebook
Cook: Said: “I thought it was the only way I could get people to listen and see how bad the decision is to allow children to starve in 2020.
“Anyone with a decent moral compass would realize that for a government that has spent £ 12 billion on a failed test and trace system, not funding food for hungry children is ridiculous and cannot be allowed to happen.”
Cook said he and his staff had received many “harassing and horrible” calls from Sunak supporters since his decision was first reported.
He insisted that the move was made “in principle” and not “in pursuit of publicity,” as some callers suggested, adding: “It is not me who worries me, but all my staff who work so hard and do not deserve these. calls “.
When asked for his response to the view that companies should not punish members of their community for issues related to their profession, Cook said he “would normally agree” but upholds his core beliefs.
“If I have upset people with this, I sincerely apologize and appreciate everything the government has done for me and other companies during this pandemic, but I had to do this,” he said.
The campaign to extend free school meals was spearheaded by English footballer Marcus Rashford
Along with the harassing phone calls, Cook said he had also received a lot of support and was excited about the number of community restaurants that had stepped in to provide free food to children.
While he was unaware that Sunak had visited the pub before, he said the chancellor “definitely knows it exists.”
The extension of free school meals was heavily defeated in the House of Commons on Wednesday as Labor failed to garner much support from conservative banks.
But then conservative MP Caroline Ansell resigned as parliamentary private secretary to the environment secretary, saying she “could not conscientiously ignore” her belief that the proposed policy would have benefited families struggling during the pandemic.
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Ansell was one of five Conservatives who backed the Labor motion, following a campaign led by the England and Manchester United footballer. Marcus rashford.
Earlier this year, Rashford succeeded in getting the government to turn around and provide free school meal vouchers to struggling parents during the summer break.
But with no signs of the government reversing its focus, it has now managed to galvanize at least 100 organizations. to help fill the void.
Conservative MP Caroline Ansell resigned during the vote. Photo: UK Parliament
After voting against the motion by 322 votes to 261, a spokesman for Number 10 said that schools should not “provide food regularly during school holidays.”
In the Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted calls for a change of position.
Sky News has contacted Sunak’s office for comment.
