Tory MPs used to defend businesses on their bad days, now they bash them on their good days

Once, in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, Boris Johnson called on the country to be kinder to bankers. Now one of his own MPs is attacking businesses for feeding children, writes Kate Devlin

Selaine Saxby said she was ‘delighted our local businesses have bounced back so much after lockdown they are able to give away food for free’ (Getty /iStock)

The reputation of the Conservatives as the self-styled “party of business” has taken quite the battering in the last few years.  The low point in relations between the two, until now, was probably when Boris Johnson was forced to deny he had said “f*** business” when asked about its concerns over Brexit.  

Still, the comments of the new MP for North Devon, in which she waded into the ongoing row over free school meals, will have come as a shock.  

In a post on Facebook dripping in sarcasm, which has now been deleted, Selaine Saxby said she was “delighted our local businesses have bounced back so much after lockdown they are able to give away food for free”.