A TORY MP has been condemned as insensitive and ignorant after posting a tweet about child poverty.

Yorkshire MP Kevin Hollinrake suggested it is the responsibility of parents, not the Government, to ensure children did not go hungry.

The Thirsk and Malton representative was rebuked by footballer and campaigner Marcus Rashford, who has launched a new food taskforce to help tackle poverty.

Hollinrake made the comment after hailing the UK Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which has seen thousands of meals discounted in his constituency.

A Twitter user said the scheme had “undoubtedly been a success”, but added: “Whilst we’re discussing food, why does it take footballer @MarcusRashford to make a stand for the hungry children in our society? Is that not the Governments job?”

The Tory MP replied: “Where they can, it’s a parents job to feed their children.”

The response prompted an angry backlash.

Rashford posted: “I would urge you to talk to families before tweeting. To this day I haven’t met one parent who hasn’t wanted or felt the responsibility to feed their children.

"Put to the side that this comment came from an MP. It's comments like this that prevent people from speaking their truth and asking for help. We need to start uplifting each other."

Emma Cantrell, CEO of First Days Children’s Charity, added: “It’s this type of ignorance that we encounter every day at First Days. We have also not come across a single parent who isn’t desperate to provide everything their children need – no one, NO ONE, is proud of having charity support. But it is so needed, so sadly.”

Channel 4 reporter Rob Windscheffel commented: “Throughout years of covering stories involving poverty I’ve met countless parents who wouldn’t eat in order to make sure their kids could have a meal. But that’s the stark reality facing some families.”

Rashford’s new taskforce works with some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets and food brands to help prevent child hunger.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Number 10 will “carefully consider” the recommendations from the taskforce.

Earlier this year, he forced the Tory Government into a U-turn on providing school meals for youngsters during the summer holidays.