BOLTON West MP Chris Green has savaged political opponents after the government voted through plans to means test free school meals.

From April 1, children in Year 3 and above, whose parents claim Universal Credit in England. will not be eligible for free school meals if their parents earn more than £7,400.

It comes after a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday saw the government pass its plans by 312 votes to 254.

Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs cited Children’s Society figures showing one million children would be hit by the proposals.

But Conservatives have accused the opposition parties of scaremongering and say that, contrary to their claims, tens of thousands more pupils will benefit under the new arrangements.

Mr Green went on the offensive following the bitter commons debate.

He said: “I’m appalled and disgusted at what I regard as lying by Labour and the Liberal Democrats over this really important, really sensitive issue.

“They are claiming that one million children will lose their school meals excluding. There are not even one million children receiving school meals. Their numbers don’t stack up. The reality is that that 50,000 more children will receive free school meals when this policy is fully implemented and some of the wealthier parents earning £40,000 or more will no longer receive free school meals which, I think, is right.

“We need to target welfare support to the most in need, not middle-class families. “

But Labour says the Tories have arrived at their figure by comparing the number currently receiving school meals under the outgoing Jobseekers Allowance benefits, not against its proposals.

And the number of qualifying families who do not take them up free school meals adds another complication to the argument.

Sir David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East, said he was ‘very disappointed’ the plans had been voted through.

He said: “I know the country has got some debt problems but it just always seems to me that the last people you should hit are those that are most vulnerable.

The Children’s Society says one million children will be affected, I don’t know how true that is , that’s their view.

“But one thing is certain, even if it doesn’t affect existing children in receipt of school meals, it will affect a huge number of future poor children who would enormously benefit.

“For some kids it’s the only decent meal they get and I think a rich country like ours should, as an absolute priority, protect its children.”

Sir David added he supported the government’s intention to eliminate the deficit but said there were ‘other targets’ the chancellor could focus on in order to balance the books.