A Tory MP has been criticised for claiming people earning £30,000 or more who use food banks have a "budgeting problem" - and sharing details about a member of his own staff to back it up.
Lee Anderson, who has previously claimed people can cook meals from scratch for 30p, is accused of using his workers as a "political football" to support his claim.
A furious Labour MP branded it "dangerous" and said she would be writing to House of Commons authorities.
Mr Anderson posted a picture of a member of his staff to illustrate his point -and was met with an immediate backlash.
He claimed that the female staffer is able to rent a room in central London, pay student debt and can also afford foreign holidays while earning £30,000.
But the controversial MP immediately came under fire after the post - with an economist pointing out that "no one" thinks there's an epidemic of "young single professionals" using food banks.
It comes after former levelling up secretary and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke claimed nurses using food banks should "budget better".
Red Wall MP Mr Anderson, who has represented Ashfield in Nottinghamshire since 2019, posted: "(The member of staff) works for me.
"She is single & earns less than 30k, rents a room for £775pcm in Central London, has student debt, £120 a month on travelling to work saves money every month, goes on foreign holidays & does not need to use a foodbank. (The member of staff) makes my point really well."
Furious Labour MP Dawn Butler responded: "This is a form of bullying and harassment.
"Whether (the member of staff) agreed to this, it is unacceptable to use a young female employee this way. Please delete.
"I will also be writing to the @HouseofCommons authorities to stress that this is a very dangerous political strategy."
Mr Anderson had earlier lashed out at the controversy over Mr Clarke's remarks, writing on Twitter: "The point here is that ANYONE (not just nurses) earning *MORE* than 30k, & are using foodbanks must have a budgeting problem.
"I have constituents i.e armed forces, bin men, bar staff, care workers, bus drivers, pensioners etc who can all live on less. Am I missing something?"
Economist Torsten Bell, who heads the Resolution Foundation thinktank, posted: "Sigh. No-one thinks there’s an epidemic of young single professionals going to food banks.
"There are these things called children which you probably don’t want to bring up in a single room. And obviously lots of people earning far less than £30k"
Labour candidate Danny Beales, who will stand against Boris Johnson in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency at the next General Election, said: "Conservative MPs solution to the cost of living crisis?
"Don’t have children. Don’t get trains to work. Don’t expect to have a home of your own. This government is out of touch & out of time."
And Lib Dem MP Jamie Stone lashed out at Mr Anderson, saying: "I have never, and would never, use my staff as a political football.
"This is in seriously bad taste and is an awful way to admit that you don’t pay your staff enough."
Mr Anderson, who was a Labour councillor before he switched to the Tories, is no stranger to controversy in remarks about food banks.
In the summer he told a fringe event at the Tory Party Conference: "I've got a big bee in my bonnet about food poverty.
"I'm a big believer that we do need food banks, but not to the degree we've got them.
"Every do gooder is starting these little projects to make themselves feel good."
He told the gathering he had worked with a local chef in his Ashfield constituency to make 172 meals after spending £50 in a supermarket.
"'30p Lee' they named me," he said. "That stuck but in a good sort of way, it got people talking about food poverty."
He claimed that young people are missing out on basic budgeting, telling the crowd: "If I got home economics bought back I'd be a very happy man."
Yesterday Mr Clarke, MP for Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland, claimed nurses should not be using foodbanks as they have an average salary of £35,000.
Speaking on BBC Radio Tees, the Oxford-educated Tory said: "If you are using foodbanks and your average salary is £35,000 a year then something is wrong with your budgeting because £35,000 is not a salary on which you want to be relying on foodbanks.
"I think we just need to be clear on this.
"This debate has got out of hand, the average nurse's salary is £35,000 and senior nurses earn up to about £47,000."
Labour Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "It is a badge of shame for the Conservatives that after 13 years in charge, nurses are forced to use food banks.
"It’s no wonder Tories are in denial about it. If the Government wasn't refusing to negotiate with nurses, they might understand the strain NHS staff are under."
