The MPs for Stamford and Rutland have rejected plans to extend free school meals over the holidays
More than 1.4million children benefit from free school meals nationally.
The MP for Rutland, Alicia Kearns and the MP for Stamford, Gareth Davies, both voted against the proposals for free school meals in the holidays.
Labour called for the provision of hot food for children to carry on until Easter 2021, however the motion was defeated by a majority of 61.
Leading the vote, Labour’s shadow education secretary Kate Green said more than 1.4 million children benefit from free school meals nationally.
Almost 900,000 of those eligible were now in areas subject to tougher COVID-19 restrictions, she added.
“In the summer, when this issue was debated in this House, the government saw sense, did the right thing and ensured that no child would go hungry over the summer holidays,” she said.
“This time, however, despite many families facing even more challenging circumstances now than they did four months ago, shamefully the government are walking away from their obligation to hungry children.”
Her counterpart, education secretary Gavin Williamson, however, said the government was in a different position.
“Free school meals are and always have been about supporting children with a meal to help them when they’re at school or currently at home learning,” he said.
“But it is our support through universal credit and our comprehensive welfare system that supports families.”