A Conservative MP has been criticised for suggesting most children who struggle in an English town are the “products of crap parents”.

James Daly was accused by his Labour rival of “insulting the parenting skills of people in Bury” after the remark was made in a newspaper piece analysing election prospects for the Greater Manchester town.

Mr Daly, speaking to the i newspaper, stressed the importance of “stability” offered by the family unit as he outlined what the New Conservatives group of MPs stands for.

The Bury North MP said: “I think New Conservatives represent very much working-class conservatism.

“We’re not a strange right-wing sect. It’s just people who want to give people the best chance to succeed and thrive in life.

“When you think about the family, it’s about stability.

“Most of the kids who struggle in Bury are the products of crap parents and so what do we do to try to address that issue?

“On the left it would just be we’ll throw money at this and hope something sticks, somebody like me thinks about this more fundamentally.”

James Frith, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Bury North, said: “It is revealing to see how little James Daly thinks of his own constituents.

“Rather than insulting the parenting skills of people in Bury, he should look closer to home.

“Over the last 13 years the Conservatives have failed to grow our economy, protect our public services or provide opportunities for young people in Bury and across the UK.”