Morecambe MP questions poverty claims by local schools as our investigation sparks huge community response

Morecambe MP David Morris has accused primary schools and a GP's surgery in his constituency of being "politically motivated" after they told ITV Granada of poverty in their community.

The Conservative MP claimed West End Primary and Morecambe Bay Primary were linked to the left-wing political group Momentum, something they both deny, and said the claims made in our reports "always seem to emanate from the same schools and Ash Tree Surgery in Carnforth."

In the investigation by our Political Correspondent Daniel Hewitt, Headteachers showed how they were washing their pupils’ uniforms and charging parents' phones because families were unable afford their electricity bills. They also handed out shoes and coats to pupils and their parents.

Ash Tree Surgery spoke of how doctors are seeing cases of conditions like rickets. This has been disputed by Morecambe MP David Morris. The local Clinical Commissioning Group says that rickets is very rare and has multiple causes, and NHS England says that rickets is not directly caused by poverty and there were no diagnosed cases of poverty-caused rickets in Morecambe at the time of broadcast in December 2017.

Meanwhile both primary schools have been showing Granada Reports the "overwhelming" response since the reports aired this week, with viewers donating thousands of presents, items of clothing, food and money to help.

See also 'Schools are frontline in fighting child poverty'

See also 'Children from working families falling into child poverty'

See also 'Working families say low wages & rising prices are pushing them into poverty'

See also 'Special Report: Teaching staff say they're seeing children arrive hungry at school'