A Labour MP claims pubs in his constituency are struggling to serve food because of a staff shortage caused by Brexit.
Daniel Zeichner said half of the cleaning staff at schools in Cambridge have left and many pubs are under-resourced because EU migrant workers are returning home.
He told Prime Minister’s Questions: “Cambridge parents tell me that when young people returned to schools and colleges last week, in some cases they found that almost half of the cooks and cleaners had gone.
“The Cambridge News reports that pubs in the area won’t be able to serve food, because they can’t find the skilled staff to do it.
“Isn’t it ironic that ‘taking back control’ has dealt a further blow to the great British pub?
“Can the prime minister tell us what plans she’s put in place to help institutions deal with this chronic and acute sudden shortage of labour?”
Economic experts have previously warned of a looming staff shortage crisis in several sectors which rely heavily on migrant workers, including hospitality, construction and social care.
Latest ONS figures revealed a huge drop in the number of EU citizens coming to the UK to look for work in the wake of last year’s referendum result.
Theresa May said Zeichner was “talking as if there is no net migration into this country any more”.
“Of course there is,” she added.
“People are coming into this country to take on work.
“But there is a wider issue that we need to deal with - that the government is dealing with - which is making sure young people here in the UK do get the training, do get the skills, do get the technical education they need to take on the skilled jobs of the future.”