Andy pledges to protect 6500 free school lunches

Some 6,513 schoolchildren in Rochdale will lose out on free lunches, under plans announced in the Conservative manifesto.

Free school lunches for pupils from reception to Year 2 were introduced by the Liberal Democrats in government, but Theresa May now plans to scrap them. The changes would cost families an average extra £480 a year for every child.

The Liberal Democrats have called on local Conservatives to make it clear whether or not they would vote for the plans.

The Conservatives are also proposing to make older people pay for social care costs from the value of their own homes when they die. This means on average, families in Rochdale would expect to see 30% of the value of their home spent on care costs.

Councillor Andy Kelly, Rochdale Liberal Democrat Candidate for Rochdale, said: "This Conservative manifesto shows the nasty party is back. Jeremy's Corbyn's Labour Party are too weak and divided to do anything about it though.

"Margaret Thatcher was known as the milk snatcher, it seems Theresa May will go down as the lunch snatcher.

"She is cynically snatching meals away from thousands of children in Rochdale, while the elderly receiving care in their own home will face a 'Personal Death Tax' charged against their home.

"Conservatives in Rochdale must now come clean over whether they will vote to take away free lunches from the children of hard-pressed families. It was only January when they thought it was a good idea to award themselves a 34% pay rise as Councillors. Surely they can't think their allowances are more important than our children's lunches?

"The Liberal Democrats will offer a brighter future by extending free school meals to all primary schools.

"We will stand up to Theresa May's cold, mean-spirited Britain, protecting those that need the most help and fighting for more funding for our schools and hospitals."