A top Tory MP has been slammed after claiming Brits are struggling for cash because they are hooked on cigarettes.
Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee, also said people need to budget and stop getting takeaways.
This comes as the UK faces a cost of living crisis, with food prices rising by 2.3 per cent in just one month.
Speaking on Times Radio on Wednesday (Aug 17) Sir Robert said: “I think people have always needed to budget.
“But we understand how difficult it can be for people making those tough decisions.
“A lot of people in the more depressed parts of my constituency often sadly smoke and cigarettes are £12 a packet.
“And people find it difficult to stop smoking so there are other ways we can help people – through smoking cessation, helping people budget and giving people the skills to make simple, nutritious meals from basic ingredients.
“Because if you are going to live on takeaways that is a very expensive way of feeding your family.”
The Scarborough and Whitby MP took over from disgraced Neil Parish as chair of EFRA in May after Parish admitted he had watched porn in the House of Commons during a debate.
Last year a third of children in his constituency were living in poverty – up three per cent on the national average.
Inflation yesterday/on Wednesday (Aug 17) soared to a 40-year high, with the Consumer Prices Index rising to 10.1 per cent in 12 months.
But wages have increased by less than half of that – at just 4.7 per cent.
Sara Willcocks, Head of External Affairs at the national poverty charity Turn2us, raged: “None of us should feel shame for finding ourselves in a precarious financial situation.
“Nor should we feel stigmatised when asking for help.
“Sadly, one of the key reasons people are struggling to keep their heads above water during this cost-of-living crisis is because wages and benefits have failed to keep up with ever increasing prices.
“As a society, we are failing to support people following a decade of historical cuts, freezes and sub-inflationary rises
“We must change the rhetoric of blaming those of us feeling the harshest consequences of the soaring cost-of-living.
“And ask ourselves how many more of us will be left without enough money to live on before the economy and social security safety net is fixed?”
Sir Robert was elected in 2005 and was Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under Theresa May.
He claimed nearly £200,000 in expenses last year, including £1,601 a month for accommodation.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, he has also stood as an MEP and acted as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, Minister for Transport and Minister for Immigration under David Cameron.
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