In one of his first votes in Parliament, Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, backed the Liberal Democrat amendment to the King’s Speech.

It called on the government to support families with the cost of living and tackle poverty - including by extending free school meals to all children in poverty, and by scrapping the two-child benefit cap - and to ensure that rural communities and farmers receive adequate support.

The amendment also focused on improving the health and care system and fixing the sewage scandal. 

Mr Amos campaigned on all three issues during his successful General Election campaign.

Before the debate, Mr Amos spoke to a gathering of teachers and parents in Parliament Square yesterday (Tuesday) setting out the Liberal Democrats’ record of first bringing in free school meals and their commitment to extend them as set out in their manifesto.

Mr Amos said: “We cannot expect children across the country to thrive in the education system if they are going hungry.

“Over 900,000 children living in poverty currently miss out on free school meals.”

Mr Amos and the Liberal Democrats are backing the campaign for all children in primary education and all secondary school children from low-income households to receive free school meals.

He added: “We believe education is the best investment we can make in our country’s future - children cannot learn with empty stomachs.”

Mr Amos said after the debate, in which the Government voted down the amendment proposals: “It’s disappointing the government opposed these proposals including free school meals and scrapping the two child benefit cap which would at a single stroke massively reduce child poverty.

"But I was proud to use one of my first votes in Parliament to support an amendment which put the cost of living, fixing the health and care crisis and the sewage scandal at its heart. 

“People in Taunton and Wellington voted for me to champion our local area and help people with the challenges they face by getting change for the better, and that’s exactly what I’m doing in Parliament. 

“I will keep working to ensure this new Government listens and acts on these priorities especially where they have claimed they are willing to do so”.