FOUR MPs have been given a life ban from a Teesside pub and restaurant following Wednesday’s controversial vote on extending free school meal provision.

The Mill, in Stokesley, in North Yorkshire, said it was barring Conservative MPs Matt Vickers, Simon Clarke, Jacob Young and Rishi Sunak from the restaurant.

It follows a vote earlier this week on whether free school meals should be provided over the holidays to help out families during the pandemic.

Footballer Marcus Rashford has been leading calls for the Government to extend the scheme to cover school holidays but Tory MPs voted against the move. 

In a post on Facebook, the Mill posted: “Don’t usually do politics but here goes.... I have never known a Government which is consistently the wrong end of every argument.

"Forget the poor handling of Covid for a minute and concentrate on what happened yesterday.  The Government voted against extending free school meals. This is disgusting! What’s worse Matt Vickers, Simon Clarke, Jacob Young, Rishi  Sunak all voted against the scheme. DISGUSTING!

“All are now barred from The Mill and Il Mulino for life.”

It added: “Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week I will deliver 100 freshly cooked healthy meals to three separate food banks in the Middlesbrough area. “

The MPs have defended their vote but have faced a backlash.

Mr Vickers, the MP for Stockton South, accused the Labour Party of “weaponizing” the subject and causing “distress and fear” for working families.

He also said the Government had added £9billion to the welfare state and had extended free school meal eligibility.

He added: “The Conservatives extended free school meals over the summer holidays due to the fact that children had not been in school since March and families had been meeting the extra costs of this.

“Now, the situation is totally different. We now see that the majority of children back in the classroom and are been benefiting from free school meals during term as normal.”

Mr Clarke, reiterated many of the same points, adding: “More broadly, I think this also comes back to a wider point that’s really important. I believe personal responsibility matters - looking after your own family.

“The Government is enabling families to budget for this through a responsive and effective welfare system, not free food.”

Today, venues across the region have been leaping to the aid of struggling families by offering free or discounted food for those in need this half-term.

Read the full list here: