Independent councillor Roger Taylor was expelled from the Conservative Party last year
A councillor has refused to apologise for sending an email with the message 'if you can't feed, don't breed. Simples' in reply to a newsletter which made reference to Marcus Rashford's campaign to end child food poverty.
Roger Taylor, an independent councillor on Calderdale council in West Yorkshire, sent the reply to a newsletter from public services union, Unison.
The newsletter had featured an appeal to save the free school meals initiative, and discussed the
high-profile work being done in the area by the Manchester United and England striker.
Despite his insistence that he was behind the school meals programme, Taylor, who was
expelled by the Conservative Party last year, said it was the responsibility of parents - not the taxpayer - to feed their children throughout the holidays.
'It is good news that the government finally agreed to fund free school meals holiday provision over the Christmas holiday period, and we pay tribute to Marcus Rashford for his determination,' the letter from Unison read.
'But this is not the only area where school meals are under pressure.
'Provision of hot meals for pupils during term-time in schools is suffering too.'
In his response, Taylor said: "If you can't feed, don't breed. Simples."
Contacted by
PA Media, Taylor stressed that he would not be making any form of apology for his comments.
"I'm not going to apologise for it," he is quoted as saying. "What I said is what I said.
"That's my opinion, I'm entitled to say it."
He added: "Whilst I am a supporter of school meals and the service, the only threat will be the financial situation, with the lockdown making the economy, and level of income, much weaker.
"However, during the holidays it is the parents' responsibility and I make no bones about that.
"Many of these so-called impoverished children have smart phones and we expect the taxpayers to dip into their pockets to feed them.
"Where does it end?
"I don't mind free school meals when they're at school, that's fine. I just think enough's enough."
"It's beyond belief that someone could show so little compassion," Jon Richards, Unison head of local government, said in response.
"Children all over the country are going hungry because of the pandemic.
"Low-income families need support, not abuse from those who should know better.
"It's hard to fathom how a politician would think this is an appropriate way to react when asked to help children living in abject poverty."
