A Conservative MP who defied her party to support Labour’s vote for free school meals during school holidays has resigned from her government post.
Caroline Ansell, the MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon, was one of five Tories who backed Labour’s motion on Wednesday to extend financial support for the poorest families through the half-term and Christmas holidays amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Ansell stepped down as a parliamentary aide in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, saying: “In these unprecedented times, I am very concerned to be doing all we can to help lower-income families and their children who are really struggling due to the impact of the virus.”
She added, “I do not consider this extension could be in any way a long-term solution to this need, which is complex. There are better ways to help children, including linking meals to activities so they can also benefit from extra-curricular learning and experience.
“However, as we are still very much living in the shadow of the pandemic, vouchers are a lever – not perfect, not sustainable – but one which I thought could be used to reach families in Eastbourne and across the country in the immediate time ahead. I could not in all conscience ignore that belief.”
Labour’s opposition day motion, which had the backing of the England footballer Marcus Rashford, was defeated on Wednesday evening by 322 votes to 261.
The Conservative chair of the education select committee, Robert Halfon, also backed the motion, which was aimed at forcing the government into taking action.
Ministers argue that the situation is different from that during the nationwide lockdown and the summer holidays, when families entitled to free school meals received food vouchers.
Opposing the motion during an ill-tempered debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, suggested the best way to support children was through the welfare system.
“There are real challenges around youngsters and tackling poverty, and Conservative members are intent on ensuring that we put in place actions to deal with those issues, and that families, children, and individuals get the support they need. The best way to do that is through the welfare system; the best way to do that is by supporting people into work, as that is always the best route out of poverty.”
In response to the defeat of Labour’s motion, Rashford, 22, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list this month, told his 3.5m Twitter followers: “Put aside all the noise, the digs, the party politics, and let’s focus on the reality. A significant number of children are going to bed tonight not only hungry but feeling like they do not matter because of comments that have been made today.”
