Southport MP slammed after voting for reduced free school meals for some of the poorest children in Sefton

Southport MP slammed after voting for reduced free school meals for some of the poorest children in Sefton.  

Local MP Damien Moore has been heavily criticised for supporting government proposals to reduce eligibility for free school meals, which will see over 5,000 children from some of Southport and Sefton’s poorest families denied access to the assistance. 

Despite strong calls from Labour’s Liz Savage, who wrote to the Tory MP asking him to protect local children and families, the Conservative MP voted for restricting the service and also to reduce the number of families eligible for free childcare.

The vote means a new income threshold will be applied to families receiving Universal Credit. As a result, some families could be better off either reducing their hours or not taking additional hours or pay rises, which Labour says is a disincentive to work. 

The plan will not be implemented in Northern Ireland and Labour has accused the Government of propping up their DUP partners at the expense of not only free school meals for some of the most vulnerable families in England but also Theresa May’s own direct pledge to make work pay.

Liz Savage, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Southport, says the MP has once again shown he’s prepared to put Tory ideology before the needs of local residents:

“There are many types of poverty – poverty of conscience is one of them. 

“Damien Moore has put his party before the poorest families in Southport and across England by voting against free school meals for those that need them.”

“For some of these children, this measure will mean losing out on the chance to have one hot meal in their day. For the parents, many already struggling under the weight of this government’s cuts, this change creates a poverty trap, punishing parents who wish to work more.”

“Working families in Southport and Sefton will be worse off as a result of this measure and with rising childcare prices as wages falling in real terms. This will put an incredible strain on families who are struggling to make ends meet.”  

“A Labour government will provide a free school meal for all primary school children across England.”