Fast food chains are good for Britain's high streets, says Tory minister (just don't eat there three times a day) Brandon Lewis says it would be "socialist" to dictate firms opening in town centres Insists people should take responsibility themselves for what they eat Backs McDonald's and Burger King as major employers providing a service 'Take responsibility': Brandon Lewis MP, pictured, said that it was not the Government's place to ban fast food Britain's struggling high streets need fast food restaurants which are "massively important" to millions of shoppers, a Tory minister has claimed. Brandon Lewis, the new high streets minister, said it would be "wholly wrong" for the Government to try to ban junk food from town centres. Instead people had to take responsibility for their own diet, and not eat junk food "three times a day." The coalition has faced repeated criticism for opting to strike voluntary "responsibility deals" with food and drink firms instead of imposing bans or levies. Three years ago David Cameron suggested he could enforce a "fat tax" on products like pizza and processed food to limit the impact on the nation's health. But Mr Lewis warned it would be "socialist" to force the fast food chains off Britain's high streets. The likes of McDonald's and Burger King are big employers and have come to dominate high streets because people choose to eat there, he added. "Labour kept having a go at fast food places when actually McDonald's, Burger King... those kind of places, whichever your fast food place of choice is, are massively important," he told the Daily Telegraph. They are massive employers, they are not coming to the high streets to annoy us. They are coming to the high streets because we all go to McDonalds, or whatever our personal taste is. Individuals had to be "responsible" for what they eat, he added. I've got to take responsibility for me and my family and actually McDonalds or Burger King is fine now and again but we shouldn't be eating it three times a day. If we want to get people eating more healthily then we have to educate people around that and the obesity issue. 'Massively important: Brandon Lewis said fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King are good for Britain It would be "wholly wrong" for ministers in Whitehall to "to try and dictate" where people eat. They are employers. They are valuable businesses," he said. Last week the government faced criticism over a "responsibility deal" to cut saturated fat levels in food. Morrisons, Subway and Nestle were among the firms to sign up to the commitment. But Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said the approach "lacked credibility."