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DUP tell people to ‘go to the chippy’ after issue of food shortages raised

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds in the House of Commons. Picture: PA Wire. PA Wire/PA Images

The DUP were accused of telling people to “go to the chippy instead” if there were food shortages caused by a no-deal Brexit.

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Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said she was angry at the comments from MPs from the Northern Irish party sat on the bench behind her during the Commons debate on the Brexit next steps.

She intervened during a speech by the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford to say: “I’m grateful for him giving way and he’s making a very powerful case for what no deal will look like, and amongst that he said that there could be food shortages, and crucially that food prices could go up.

“Does he share my anger with the voices behind me that he perhaps didn’t hear, but when he was talking about food prices going up and the fact there could be food shortages, the people behind me were saying ‘well let them go to the chippy instead?’

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“Does he share my anger about the way our constituents would be affected by a no-deal?”

Blackford replied: “I’m sorry to hear that that was a remark that was made.

“You know this is a really important debate and I think there is a responsibility that we take these matters seriously, each and every one of us.”

The DUP’s dismissive comments come on the day health experts warned Brexit could cause more deaths from strokes and heart attacks due to rising food costs.