A DECISION not to extend free meals for vulnerable children through school holidays has been branded ‘devastating’.

The rejection by MPs of footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign to extend free school meals across the half-terms and the Christmas holidays has been slammed. 322 MPs voted down the Manchester United player’s proposal to prolong free school meals - including Barrow and Furness MP Simon Fell and Copeland MP Trudy Harrison.

Mr Fell said the best way to support families outside of term time is through Universal Credit, rather than free school meals.

But the decision has angered member of opposition parties with one Barrow Labour stalwart saying MPs should ‘hang their heads in shame’.

This is what The Mail's readers had to say on this issue:

Mchle Trnr said: "Translation: I earn £82k a year and only claim 39k every six months in expenses so I am experienced in this area and I know for a fact that the only way to stop Furness children going hungry is to expect parents in already low-income to live off 80 per cent of their wage during a worldwide pandemic."

Laura Todd said: "That's because MPs are to interested in lining their own pocket and making sure the don't go without food never mind all the young children in poverty, they should be ashamed of themselves."

Darren Clarke said: "Fee school meals extended to a further 50,000 children, breakfast clubs and the like expanded. £63m given to councils for local welfare. Instead of voting for a broad brush action, which will waste money on those that don't require it. They have used targeted action for those that do."

Dom Lindsay said: "At least the local Labour officials are standing up for our local community in absence of our local Tory ‘representation’ in Parliament."

Michael Vandom said: "Rumour has it Simon Fell is supporting no free meals for politicians."

Vanessa James said: "No they won't because the people of Barrow won't let them."