An MP has urged government not to be a “nanny state” and tell people what they can and cannot eat.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said no food in moderation was unhealthy.
He made the comments in Health Questions after other MPs urged government to ensure supermarkets advertised healthier foods near checkouts, ban cut-price promotions on unhealthy food and restrict advertising unhealthy food during family television programmes in a bid to reducing childhood obesity.
Mr Davies said: “We would not expect a Conservative government to set up an unhealthy food police to go around telling people what they should and should not be eating. No food eaten as part of a balanced diet is particularly unhealthy and if the government are so concerned about families who are just about managing, why on earth are they even contemplating increasing the cost for working families.”
Health Minister Nicola Blackwood said: “What we have is an obesity plan which balances the need to cut the sugar in young people’s diet as a way to make sure they are getting a healthy diet and the individual choice which we know is absolutely a Conservative ideal.”
The House of Commons was considering a question about banning special offers in supermarkets of unhealthy products.