Theresa May U-turns on scrapping free primary school meals

The flagship manifesto commitment will not be in Wednesday's Queen's Speech, as the Prime Minister battles to keep her government afloat

One of Theresa May's most significant manifesto commitments has been dropped (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Theresa May’s manifesto pledge to remove universal free school meals for four to seven year olds will not feature in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech, as the Prime Minister battles to put together a legislative programme that does not risk defeat in the House of Commons.

Ms May no longer commands an overall majority in the House of Commons as a consequence of her disastrous election result, and so will axe the controversial measure. If the Commons do not vote in favour of the proposed new laws that the Queen will read out at Wednesday’s state opening of parliament, it will effectively bring her government to an end.

Parents, teachers and campaigners such as Jamie Oliver have all been heavily critical of the money-saving proposal, which along with proposed social care changes, were considered to have had a major impact on the election result, with voters offered very little positive incentive to vote for the Conservatives.

Government sources have described the proposals as “just not doable” given the fine balanced nature of the commons, a situation for removed from the huge majority Ms May had been expected to command.

The Queen’s speech is expected to be a third as long as would have been the case had Ms May won a majority. The Prime Minister has already cancelled next year’s speech, anticipating that the complexity and contentiousness of the legislation that will be required to prepare the country for Brexit will be impossible to pass in a single year.