Blogger Man Behaving Dadly helps raise more than £11,000 for families to treat themselves to McDonald's in response to Ashfield MP Lee Anderson's claims

Speaking at a recent Westminster debate, Mr Anderson said: “One particular family who I was helping, really helping, they were going to the food bank two or three times a week and then I see them in McDonald’s two or three times week.

“If you are really struggling for money and you are going to a food bank two or three times a week, you shouldn’t be going out for fast food, takeaways every week.”

In response to this Man Behaving Dadly set up a GoFundMe page aiming to raise enough for up to 70 children to receive a Happy Meal at a food bank in Southend, Essex, near where he is from.

But since it launched the page has already raised more than £16,500 so he has decided to widen his offer and is speaking to food banks, including Ashfield.

Mr Harris said: “I spotted that Lee was demonising food bank using parents who take their kids to McDonald’s and all this does is reinforce stereotypes and prejudices that seem to be running riot on social media these days.

“The fundraiser itself is an opportunity for these kids to enjoy a Happy Meal without judgement, and as often happens with me it’s grown a life of its own so I’m talking to a few people about how best to take it national. I’m also talking to food banks in his constituency.

“When all is said and done, there could be a number of reasons why parents on the breadline are able to treat their kids to a Maccies.

“Maybe they’ve saved up. Maybe they’ve got £1.98 for a hamburger and fries and they just want to treat them. Maybe friends or grandparents have bunged them a tenner to treat the little ones.

“All I do know is that literally patrolling McDonald’s looking for ‘system abusers’ is something you’d expect in North Korea, obviously they have their own version over there but you get the idea.”

If you would like to donate visit gofundme.com/f/maccieswithoutmalice