Tory MP David Morris banned from shop for life after voting against extension of free school meals

A running shop owner has barred his Conservative MP from entering his store for life after he voted against free school meals in England over half-term .

Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris was one of 322 MPs who voted down the motion , backed by Marcus Rashford, to reintroduce the vouchers scheme used over the summer break.

A sign has been placed in The Runners Centre in Kings Arcade, Lancaster, banning him for ever entering the store again.

It reads: “David Morris MP is barred from entering this store for voting to starve children…

“Along with 322 other Conservative MPs he voted against extending free meals for kids.

“He has been listed as one of the top ten MPs claiming expenses with £77,676.00 spent so far.

“He has also voted to give himself a pay rise of nearly £3400.00. Thatcher starved the miners. Morris starving the minors.”

Owner Ian Bailey told Lancs Live: “For David Morris to vote against allowing the children meal credit to continue is just abhorrent when he himself will sit in Parliament and get subsidised meals within Westminster where he won’t extend that privilege to anybody else.

“It’s just completely wrong. So from that we banned him from this store.

“I’m desperate for him to come in just so I can ask him to leave.”

The MP said that Lancashire County Council had already received £1.4million for free school meals.

“Labour knowingly engineered a cynical vote to ask for funding that had already been allocated to Councils across the land”, he added.

“As for being banned from a shop I never knew existed and have never been in, the statements are false and purposely misleading.

“I advise the owner who is seemingly politically aligned to remove this sign.”

Boris Johnson is reportedly prepared to provide additional support for eligible pupils outside term time after a revolt of the vote.

Former immigration minister Caroline Nokes became the latest MP to hit out at the move, telling BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour there had to be a change of tactic. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about them having to take another look at it. I think it has to be quick and I think it has to be very very clear,” she said.

Sir Keir Starmer has sought to exploit the disarray in the Conservative ranks by confirming Labour would force another Commons vote on the issue if ministers do not relent in time for the Christmas holidays.

The Government comfortably defeated Labour’s motion calling for the extension of free meals during the holidays until Easter 2021 with a Commons majority of more than 60, with just five Tory MPs breaking ranks to vote with the opposition.

Over the weekend, it was revealed by Rashford’s camp that Mr Johnson failed to reply to a “personal” letter sent by the footballer inviting the prime minister to join a taskforce he created to help tackle child food poverty. Mr Johnson has said he last spoke to Rashford in June .