SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has hit back over a "hoax" post shared on social media which appeared to have been written by him. 

The post, which appeared on the Nextdoor neighbourhood hub on a thread where people could volunteer to help with food distribution, said: "Ultimately it's the parent's responsibility to feed the child and if they can't afford to do that they should take a look at themselves. 

"I'd [sic] they can tear themselves away from their sky sports subscriptions and weekly manicures."

The post said it was written by 'Philip Davies MP' and his picture was also shown. 

It came on the back of a weekend where the Conservative MP came under fire for voting against an opposition motion to extend free school meals over half term breaks until Easter next year.

A social media storm erupted after an email exchange emerged where Mr Davies accused a 16-year-old constituent of "virtue signalling" after she shared her anger over the vote - read more about that here. He later said he had emailed to apologise if he had upset her and had he known she was 16, would have made allowances for that. 

Mr Davies said the message on the Nextdoor hub was a hoax and posted on a platform he has never heard of. It's understood it has now been deleted.

He said: "Bullying on social media is what I've come to expect from the sort of left-wing bully boys on social media who just think that anything to try and smear somebody is acceptable.

"It's a pretty sad state of state of affairs. I trust that all of those people who have been calling me every name from a pig to a dog will apologise. But I don't expect it.

"On the back of things like this, I've had to report somebody to the police yesterday for sending death threats.

"This is the consequence of what happens when everybody just decides to have a pile on for somebody having the temerity of having a different opinion."

Mr Davies added: "We live in a deeply unpleasant political time. When I started out, people would say 'I disagree with you'. Now people say 'I disagree with you and you're absolute scum, I hope you die, you should be dead' and all that kind of stuff.

"What on earth has happened to political discourse in this country?"

"People think they can say absolutely anything but if you respond, it's absolutely disgusting and terrible. Why can't we just accept that people have different opinions?"

He added: "It's bullying. They want to bully people into either agreeing with them or making sure they never dare disagree with them in future."

Senior Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin has said the Government had “misunderstood” the mood of the country over free school meals and urged ministers to think again.

The Government is resisting demands led by footballer Marcus Rashford to extend free meals into the school holidays during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Sir Bernard told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: “I think we have to admit that we have misunderstood the mood of the country here.

“The public want to see the Government taking a national lead on this. I think the Government will probably have to think again on that, particularly if there’s going to be more votes in the House of Commons."

Mr Davies said: "I've no idea if the Government will make a u-turn. Time will tell."

He said blanket approaches do not take into account individual circumstances, with some people not entitled to free school meals, but struggling because of the pandemic, "getting nothing". 

The bid, tabled by Labour, to give each disadvantaged child a £15 a week food voucher, was defeated by 322 votes to 261. 

Explaining his reasons for voting against the motion, he said: “I take the view that parents should be primarily responsible for feeding their children rather than schools or the state.

“That never used to be a contentious view - including when Labour refused to do this after the financial crash when they were in government - and I am very sad that it has become so.

“The motion was not seeking this support for children as an absolute last resort in the most exceptional circumstances - which I would support - but wanted this to happen as a matter of course for huge numbers.

“The government have already increased the welfare budget by £9bn in order to help families most in need.

“I absolutely don’t have a problem with giving further help to people as a last resort in exceptional circumstances. But I can’t support the state being the first port of call for providing food for children - that should always be the parents.”

On the back of the decision, hundreds of business across the country, including in Bradford, have offered free meals during half term. 

You can find the full list here.