The Watford MP who voted against extending free school meals through the holidays to help feed hungry children, says he voted with “good conscience”.

MP Dean Russell said the Government is “doing a lot to help support the most vulnerable” as he voted against Labour’s motion, which called for the scheme to be extended over school holidays until Easter 2021.

The motion was defeated by 261 votes to 322.

Mr Russell acknowledged that the topic is important, emotive and has a strong strength of feeling, but argued at the Commons that the Government has been doing the “right thing, at the right time”.

At the Commons, he said: “At the start of the pandemic, it was right that unprecedented measures on free school meals were taken. In that time, children’s lives were blurred between home and school, but now schools have opened back up fully to all pupils and more targeted support can be provided.”

In a statement to constituents after his speech, he argued that with schools back open, those eligible for free school meals are getting the food required, and extending the scheme over the holidays is not the right long-term solution to tackling food inequality and food plaster.

“To me it is sticking a plaster and not a solution,” stated the MP, “As a member of the APPG on National Food Strategy this is something incredibly important to me.”

He continued: “I think it is important to note that children who are eligible for free school meals will continue to receive this provision if they are required to self-isolate.

“Schools have been asked to work with their caterers to provide food parcels for those required to stay at home.

“Over £550 million a year is spent in England through the National Funding Formula to ensure that disadvantaged children benefit from Free School Meals, a provision which has been in place for more decades."

Mr Russell concluded that he voted with “good conscience” with the Government’s actions but also accepts “there is still a lot more to do”.

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Watford Labour group leader, Cllr Nigel Bell criticised the “hypocrisy” of the Watford MP.

He said: "The party at a borough, county and national level fully supported Marcus Rashford's campaign to extend free school meals.

“I'm shocked at the hypocrisy of Dean Russell. He spoke about protecting, nurturing and supporting children in the debate so he should have voted to protect the 1,877 vulnerable children this choice will impact in Watford.

“Instead, he's failed to vote for the right support at the right time. Families have struggled massively during lock down and free school meals are a lifeline for thousands of Watford families especially during the holiday period. "

Elsewhere in Hertfordshire, the St Albans Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper said she “simply cannot understand” the Conservative government decision.

She said: “We are just days away from half term and some parents don’t know where they will find the £30-£40 needed to feed their children next week, let alone how they will feed their kids at Christmas.

“No-one is denying that there are big financial demands on the government, but I simply cannot understand why the Conservative Government is drawing the red line at hungry children.

“Both Wales and Scotland have extended free school meal vouchers for all school holidays until at least Easter 2021, lifting a huge weight off the minds of those families who are struggling to cope.

“Conservative MPs had the chance to vote to do the same thing for children in England, and millions of hungry children and their families won’t understand why they refused.”