AN East Lancashire MP has come under fire – for slating Greggs sausage rolls.

Northern Powerhouse minister, Jake Berry, blasted the pastry snack during a debate in Westminster on Monday, labelling them as 'not very nice.'

But it wasn't just the meaty treat he admitted he wasn't fond of, as he told MPs he couldn't stomach their recently-launched vegan equivalent either.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Mr Berry said: "I will self-declare: I am not taking part in Veganuary, and I am not a vegangelist — the vegan equivalent of an evangelist — but I have tried a Greggs vegan sausage roll.

"It tasted to me much like any other Greggs sausage roll – not very nice."

His comments were voiced during a debate about a disused factory in Labour MP Ronnie Campbell's Northumberland constituency.

Mr Campbell had told the Commons how activist and celebrity vegetarian Heather Mills wanted to take over the plant and use it to produce vegan food - prompting the exchange about Greggs’ vegan sausage roll.

But Labour MP Mary Glindon, the MP for North Tyneside did not see the funny side of Mr Berry's aside.

She said: "I respect the minister but this was a poor joke.

"Jobs at Greggs in my constituency and nationally are no laughing matter and Jake is not a food critic.

"The minister could join me in saluting Greggs' success and recognising that many enjoy its delicious food.

"I'm very happy to treat him to a roll, vegan or not, and to chew the cud on jobs and growth in the north."

Mr Berry's food preferences even seem to have caught the attention of the tabloid press, with The Daily Mirror branding the 40-year-old as an 'out-of-touch bungler who shocked MPs with his outspoken attack on the tasty hot snack in a Westminster debate'.

But Mr Berry took to Twitter to defend himself and the North-East based-business, tweeting a photo of himself tucking into a Greggs Steak Bake with the comment: "Apparently Kevin Maguire and the Daily Mirror are ringing Labour MPs complaining that I don’t like Greggs' Sausage Rolls.

"Guess what I don’t, but I do love their steak bakes #LoveGreggs"