A teenager from Alsager has accused Congleton MP Fiona Bruce of putting her party whips views above her own values.

Conservatives voted down a motion to feed more than £1.4 million children during school breaks until Easter next year.

The bid, tabled by Labour, was defeated by 322 votes to 261 - with a majority of 61.

The motion was backed by England and Manchester United football Marcus Rashford, who's campaign to end child food poverty recently saw him awarded with an MBE.

The 22-year-old, who was successful in his campaign back in the summer, said children would have gone to bed last night "not only hungry but feeling like they do not matter".

Congleton MP Fiona Bruce (Conservative), who represents Alsager, voted down the motion.

Joe Davies, Congleton Constituency Labour Party's Youth Officer, wrote to the Mrs Bruce in the summer asking for support in his request for children eligible for free school meals to continue to receive them during the summer school holidays.

The 17-year-old who lives in Alsager, was not surprised by Mrs Bruce's decision to vote against Labour's motion.

Mr Davies told Nub News: "I expected it [Mrs Bruce's voting decision], but what I do not understand is that she is a Christian who has Christian values.

"Surely that would mean voting for a motion that would help feed children who are in poverty, but she puts the following of the party whip ahead of her own values."

The free school meals scheme will now continue to only be run during term time.

Mr Davies felt the government's decision to not support Rashford was not a "smart move" and due to the footballer using his position of fame as a force for good, he predicted the government would eventually "give in".

Joe told Nub News hoped that alongside Rashford, Labour would not stop until there is a permanent assurance that no school child would ever go hungry.

Mr Davies added: "There are people out there who feel that it is the parents sole responsibility to feed their child, and if they cannot afford to then it means they don't love their child or they should never have had a child if they couldn't support them. This is completely wrong.

"Society needs to consider the impact mental health, income, disability and unemployment can have on a parent's ability to provide nutritious meals for their children.

"No parent ever sets out to be in a position where they cannot feed their child."

Joe felt that with Covid-19 inevitably having a knock-on effect on people's job security, mental health and the country's economy, the government had a duty to help our younger generation.

He added: "School children should be our priority, but the government does not care.

"When it comes to free school meals, that's when the government say they do not have any money."

The 17-year-old, who is a student at Alsager Sixth Form, told Nub News that Labour would wait to see how Rashford responds to the latest setback.

Mr Davies will be supporting Cheshire East Council's 'champion for young people', Cllr James Barber, who has recently launched a Cheshire East Food Poverty task force.

Alsager Nub News has contacted Fiona Bruce's office for comment.