Tory candidate shared four-letter ‘Can you feed your kids?’ Facebook post

A Tory by-election candidate appears to have suggested out-of-work parents who cannot feed their children should “f*** off”.

Andrew Cooper shared a post on social media indicating people should only seek help if they are employed and give up basics like TV and mobile phone contracts, the Mirror reported.

The Tory hopeful is seeking to replace former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher as MP for Tamworth in a by-election on Thursday.

In 2020, he appears to have posted a photo on Facebook of a flowchart asking the question: “Can you feed your kids?”

The diagram suggested that those who are out of work, pay for “TV Sky/BT/ETC”, or “have a phone contract + £30” should “f*** off” rather than seek help.

There are too many people on out-of-work benefits and there needs to be improved incentives to get people into work

A screenshot of the post was later shared on the local Facebook page Spotted Tamworth alongside an anonymous message reading: “Lovely potential MP!! Wants to starve the children!! He won’t get my vote! Absolute cretin!”

If elected, Mr Cooper would be responsible for helping those struggling with the cost of living in Tamworth, where some 19.5% of children lived in relative poverty as of 2021/22, according to the latest constituency data.

In a statement, Mr Cooper told the Mirror: “I think most people in Tamworth would agree that benefits are not there to pay for luxuries. There are too many people on out-of-work benefits and there needs to be improved incentives to get people into work.

“Both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have spoken about the need to get people off welfare and into jobs. That’s why I want to be the local MP in Tamworth – so I can support local families and help get more people into work.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not condemn the alleged comments when challenged at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons.

Labour MP Karin Smyth MP (Bristol South), raising concerns over people living in poverty, said Mr Cooper made “foul-mouth comments about families struggling to make ends meet”.

Addressing the Prime Minister, she said: “This is his Conservative Party. Will he condemn that candidate’s comments?”

Mr Sunak said: “I’m proud of our record supporting people with the cost of living.”

He outlined the Government’s policies supporting people with the cost of living and added: “Whilst we’re helping people with the cost of living, all Labour’s ideas are doing are costing them a fortune.”

Government minister Andrew Griffith praised Mr Cooper as a “fantastic” candidate but did not dispute the veracity of the Facebook message when speaking to broadcasters on Wednesday morning.

The economic secretary to the Treasury told Times Radio: “Everyone should choose their language wisely, not least of which on social media.

“But what you look for in a candidate is someone who is local, someone who is going to work hard and somebody who is absolutely empathetic and represents their local constituents to the best.”

Labour MP Stephanie Peacock, who is leading the party’s by-election campaign in Tamworth, said: “The Tories have overseen 13 years of next to no growth, before crashing the economy. The result is a third of children in Tamworth are growing up in poverty and two thirds of them are in working families.

“It shows a complete lack of understanding of the challenges facing families in Tamworth that the Conservative candidate is telling parents who are struggling to make ends meet to ‘f*** off’.”

Labour is hoping to flip Tory majorities in both Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire in by-elections on Thursday which were sparked by the resignations of Mr Pincher and former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, respectively.

Mr Pincher, who represented the Staffordshire seat since 2010, stood down after being found to have drunkenly groped two men in an “egregious case of sexual misconduct” at London’s exclusive Carlton Club last year.