SOUTH Somerset's Lib Dems have hit back at MP Marcus Fysh's decision to support the free school meal earnings cap.

Jo Roundell Greene, who is the deputy leader of South Somerset District Council, ran against Marcus Fysh in the last general election.

Last week, Mr Fysh defended his vote on proposals to introduce a £7,400 earnings threshold for free school meals.

Now, Cllr Roundell Green has hit back.

She said: "I am not an educationalist and I am not a dietician, but what I do know is that the evidence linking learning and educational attainment to proper nutritious meals is overwhelming, and the most important link is the receipt of proper meals during the school day.

"The difference between a child or young person’s ability to learn if they are properly fed and when they are not, is measured in many months of education gained or lost.

"While the Government has retained the first two vital years where the difference is most marked, from April 1 this year, those in Year 3 and beyond will not normally be eligible if their parents earn more than £7,400 a year.

"That represents less than half the living wage."

Last week, Mr Fysh argued that around 50,000 more children could receive school meals than would have under the old benefits system.

Cllr Roundell Greene said: "Our MP can try and baffle us with statistics and yet more government statistics, what he cannot do is to change the facts.

"In a couple of weeks’ time, those who are obtaining some additional financial support through Universal Credits on March 31 will automatically get free school meals until 2022, whereas those who move onto Universal Credits for the first time from April 1 will automatically lose that vital support if they earn more than that cliff edge figure of £616.67 a month."

The Government says those who currently receive free school meals will not lose them on April 1 - even if their household breaches the £7,400 earnings threshold. 

However Labour, citing research by The Children's Society, says the changes mean up to a million children who would have been eligible for the meals under the current system will miss out once the threshold is introduced.

Cllr Roundell Greene added: "What we will see is the return of children arriving with a bag of crisps and no breakfast to see them through the day and all the long-term advantages that come with a better education will be lost.

"It feels as if this government, with our MP’s solid support, is determined on a point of principle, to reverse the best and most valuable policies introduced during the period of coalition government.

"Of course, benefits need to be reviewed alongside Universal Credits, but this measure is not fair and will have a disproportionate impact on the education of a new generation of children who represent the workforce of the future.

"It is not unreasonable to expect that our MP will fight for the real-life futures of those families from Chard, Ilminster, Yeovil, Crewkerne and the surrounding countryside who most need his help and support, but instead he has chosen to hide behind statistics linked to Government ‘smoke and mirrors’.

"In less than 2 weeks’ time the first children will feel the impact."