Scrapping free school lunches would waste over £500,000 spent upgrading kitchens in Brighton and Hove

Plans by Theresa May to axe free school lunches would waste the £517,577 invested in the City to upgrade school kitchens, according to the Liberal Democrats. It comes after figures revealed 5,459 children in the City are set to lose out under the Conservative proposals.

When in government, the Liberal Democrats invested £160m nationally upgrading school kitchen facilities to enable them to prepare hot lunches.

Carrie Hynds, Liberal Democrat candidate for Hove and Portslade commented: "The Liberal Democrats in government invested £160m to give schools the kitchens they needed to ensure that no infant would go without lunch. This policy was extremely successful and guaranteed that local children received at least two of their five a day."

"But now Theresa May is threatening to throw that money down the drain.

"A Conservative measure designed to save money will waste money. Not only is it heartless, it is bad economics.

"I challenge my Conservative opponent to say whether, if elected, she would vote against her own party to ensure that children in Hove and Portslade receive a decent lunch."

Emily Tester, LibDem candidate for Brighton Kemptown said: "The Liberal Democrats will protect free school lunches for infants and ensure all primary school children can get a healthy, free lunch every day.

"The Liberal Democrats introduced free school meals when in government and have committed in their 2017 manifesto to extend free school meals to all primary school pupils as well as to restore school funding generally and to increase the money available for the highly successful Pupil Premium, a LibDem introduction under the coalition."