Labour's health spokesman Andy Burnham said he was looking at mandatory maximum levels of  fat, salt and sugar in foods . Labour was accused last night of trying to 'ban mince pies at Christmas' over plans to put draconian legal limits on sugar, fat and salt in food. The party's health spokesman Andy Burnham said he was looking at mandatory maximum levels of the amount of fat, salt and sugar in foods specifically designed for youngsters. He also said GPs should be sending obese patients for exercise classes to help them lose weight. But last night one Tory MP accused Mr Burnham of behaving like 'the Grinch who wants to ban mince pies at Christmas.' Conservative MP David Morris said: 'Conservatives are taking common sense steps to help people lose weight, but Labour just want to ban things. 'Andy Burnham is turning into the Grinch who wants to stop mince pies at Christmas. It's the same old we know best approach from Labour.' The plan was welcomed by anti-obesity campaigners but was also branded 'ridiculous' and 'interfering'. Shadow health secretary Mr Burnham told Sky News preventing health problems occurring in the first place was needed to help make the NHS sustainable. Currently there are some referral schemes allowing patients to be sent to subsidised gym sessions. But Mr Burnham said physical exercise should be available more widely. 'Personally I would like to look more at exercise and physical activity - making referrals for physical activity from all GP surgeries,' he said. 'If people become more physically active, then they get more control over what they're eating and what they're drinking and all the other things.' 'The time has come to look at the food industry. I've said many times, I cannot defend the amount of sugar that children are eating. 'We've seen more and more sugar built into our food over time. I'm looking there at a mandatory maximum limit on fat salt and sugar in children's food. The status quo simply isn't working. We need to consider more radical action.' The proposal was welcomed by Tam Fry from the National Obesity Forum, who said: ' Mr Burnham is absolutely right. It's probably the most important thing for the next government. He said 'runinous' levels of sugar, especially in fizzy drinks, were doing huge damage to children's teeth, as well as causing obesity.' Doctors said Britain is 'the fat man of Europe' and problems have set in among some children by the age of nine . But Tory MP Philip Davies said: 'It's completely ridiculous. It is absolutely nanny state and basically the Labour Party want to use anything as an excuse to interfere in everybody's lives, and ban them from doing anything they don't personally approve of. 'It's a pretty good taste of what we could expect to see if we had the misfortune of a Labour government.' The proposal would be an effort to combat obesity levels among children. A report last month found childhood obesity in the UK is at 'alarming' levels with up to one in three being dangerously fat. Doctors said Britain is 'the fat man of Europe' and problems have set in among some children by the age of nine. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), which represents doctors specialising in children and young people, said 26 per cent of boys and 29 per cent of girls are overweight and obese 'storing up serious health problems for the future'. Mr Fry speculated that the food industry could be given several years to reduce the sugar and fat content in food voluntarily. If they did not comply then the law could be changed, he said. In March UN health chiefs warned that children should not be give fizzy drinks because they contain dangerous amounts of sugar.
Labour's health spokesman wants to put legal limits on sugar, fat and salt .
Andy Burnham also said GPs should send obese  for exercise classes .
Tory MP David Morris accused him of turning into the Grinch .
He said Mr Burnham wants to ban mince pies for children at Christmas .
Labour's health spokesman Andy Burnham said he was looking at mandatory maximum levels of  fat, salt and sugar in foods . Labour was accused last night of trying to 'ban mince pies at Christmas' over plans to put draconian legal limits on sugar, fat and salt in food. The party's health spokesman Andy Burnham said he was looking at mandatory maximum levels of the amount of fat, salt and sugar in foods specifically designed for youngsters. He also said GPs should be sending obese patients for exercise classes to help them lose weight. But last night one Tory MP accused Mr Burnham of behaving like 'the Grinch who wants to ban mince pies at Christmas.' Conservative MP David Morris said: 'Conservatives are taking common sense steps to help people lose weight, but Labour just want to ban things. 'Andy Burnham is turning into the Grinch who wants to stop mince pies at Christmas. It's the same old we know best approach from Labour.' The plan was welcomed by anti-obesity campaigners but was also branded 'ridiculous' and 'interfering'. Shadow health secretary Mr Burnham told Sky News preventing health problems occurring in the first place was needed to help make the NHS sustainable. Currently there are some referral schemes allowing patients to be sent to subsidised gym sessions. But Mr Burnham said physical exercise should be available more widely. 'Personally I would like to look more at exercise and physical activity - making referrals for physical activity from all GP surgeries,' he said. 'If people become more physically active, then they get more control over what they're eating and what they're drinking and all the other things.' 'The time has come to look at the food industry. I've said many times, I cannot defend the amount of sugar that children are eating. 'We've seen more and more sugar built into our food over time. I'm looking there at a mandatory maximum limit on fat salt and sugar in children's food. The status quo simply isn't working. We need to consider more radical action.' The proposal was welcomed by Tam Fry from the National Obesity Forum, who said: ' Mr Burnham is absolutely right. It's probably the most important thing for the next government. He said 'runinous' levels of sugar, especially in fizzy drinks, were doing huge damage to children's teeth, as well as causing obesity.' Doctors said Britain is 'the fat man of Europe' and problems have set in among some children by the age of nine . But Tory MP Philip Davies said: 'It's completely ridiculous. It is absolutely nanny state and basically the Labour Party want to use anything as an excuse to interfere in everybody's lives, and ban them from doing anything they don't personally approve of. 'It's a pretty good taste of what we could expect to see if we had the misfortune of a Labour government.' The proposal would be an effort to combat obesity levels among children. A report last month found childhood obesity in the UK is at 'alarming' levels with up to one in three being dangerously fat. Doctors said Britain is 'the fat man of Europe' and problems have set in among some children by the age of nine. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), which represents doctors specialising in children and young people, said 26 per cent of boys and 29 per cent of girls are overweight and obese 'storing up serious health problems for the future'. Mr Fry speculated that the food industry could be given several years to reduce the sugar and fat content in food voluntarily. If they did not comply then the law could be changed, he said. In March UN health chiefs warned that children should not be give fizzy drinks because they contain dangerous amounts of sugar.
Labour's health spokesman Andy Burnham said he was night of trying to 'ban mince pies at Christmas' over plans to put draconian legal limits on sugar, fat and salt in food. The party's health youngsters. He also said GPs should be sending obese patients for exercise classes to help them David Morris said: 'Conservatives are taking is turning into the Grinch who wants to stop