LABOUR councillors in Crewe say the government's climbdown on holiday school meals and support for poorer families, inspired by Marcus Rashford's campaign, is welcome.

Meanwhile, Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan insists a voucher-led support scheme was not "the best way to help people" and he believes yesterday's announcement of a £220 million extension of school holiday programmes providing food and activities for youngsters is the best way forward.

The MP was among Conservatives voting down a recent Labour amendment in Parliament which called for free school meals to be offered during holidays until Easter 2021.

The new package will see £400m set aside to support poor children and their families in England. It includes a £170m winter grant scheme, to be run by councils, offering support with food and bills, while a holiday food and activities programme will be expanded covering Easter, Summer and Christmas next year.

The MP, who came under fire from some constituents over his vote, said: "Despite all the bile and hatred unleashed by misleading headlines saying I wanted to starve children, people that took the time to read the details saw the government had already given enormous amounts of taxpayers money to support children and families in need.

"I am very glad the existing government approaches to this are being extended. We know this winter is going to be hard. Just as they could over the October holiday, councils can work with local groups and charities to provide tailored support.

"I remain of the view that asking schools to hand out supermarket vouchers over the school holidays as a blanket approach was not the best way to help people."

The Labour group on Cheshire East Council says while the move is a significant U-turn by the government it will improve the lives of over 7,500 of the poorest children living in the borough who receive free school meals during term time..

It says it has set up a local taskforce to examine food poverty in Cheshire East.

Crewe West councillor Marilyn Houston Labour Councillor for Crewe West, said: "In what is one of the richest countries in the world it is unacceptable that any child should go hungry, and we are determined not to let that happen."

Crewe South councillor Steve Hogben said: "Yet again a government that throws many millions into contracts without any competition during the Covid-19 Pandemic to its friends and party funders has had to be reminded of our duty as a civilised society towards our poorest families.''

A £16m support package for major food bank charities has also been announced by the government.

Mr Mullan added: "I have always believed we need to tackle the root causes of poverty. By expanding our holiday activity programmes we will not just be giving a meal to a young person, we will be helping them grow and develop as a person to help tackle disadvantages they may face.

"My vote against asking schools to give out supermarket vouchers which has been deliberately misrepresented was because I want to see the best solution - not just the one that makes me popular on Facebook and social media."

The food taskforce can be found online here.