THREE thousand Island children will lose out on free school lunches if the Conservatives are successful in the General Election, according to the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats. 
Free school lunches for pupils from reception to year two were introduced by the Lib Dems during the coalition, but the scheme could be under threat from Conservatives, the Lib Dems said. 
The Lib Dems have called on Isle of Wight Tory candidate Bob Seely to make it clear whether he would vote for the plans, which are estimated to cost the average family £480 a year per child. 
Isle of Wight Lib Dem candidate Nick Belfitt said: “This Conservative manifesto shows the nasty party is back.
“Margaret Thatcher was known as the milk snatcher, it seems Theresa May will go down as the lunch snatcher.”
Tory proposals also include making older people pay for social care costs from the value of their homes when they die.  According to the Lib Dems, the average Island family could expect 49.7 per cent of the value of their home to be spent on care costs. 
Mr Beliftt added: “She is cynically snatching meals away from thousands of children on the Isle of Wight, while the elderly receiving care in their own home will face a ‘personal death tax’ charged against their home.
“Bob Seely must now come clean over whether he will vote to take away free lunches from the children of hard-pressed families.
“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.”