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The Tories will tomorrow oppose the founding of a fund which could pump millions of pounds into food banks for the needy.

Britain could have been in line for a £3million share of the European Union pot, worth £3billion across all 27 member states.

However, the Coalition is the only European government to oppose the fund – called European Aid to the Most Deprived – and Conservative MEPs will vote against it today at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Labour MEP Richard Howitt said the move was “heartless and callous”.

A Tory spokesman tried to explain the move: “It is not for EU to dictate to member states how to run their welfare systems or how to help the needy.

“Individual countries must be allowed to decide for themselves how they raise and distribute relief for people who require help – be it from charities or the state.

“We won’t be taking any lectures from Brussels or from Labour about management of a welfare system which they allowed to grow out of control.”

But Mr Howitt accused the Tories of putting anti Europe ideology before helping the poor.

“The Government does not want to give Europe credit for helping people and it doesn’t want to acknowledge there is real deprivation and hunger in Britain,” he said.

Tuesday’s vote comes as activists, unions and charities – including The Trussell Trust food banks – launch a petition in the Daily Mirror calling for Chancellor George Osborne to tackle food poverty in next month’s Budget.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Since coming to power this government has created a cost of living crisis, which has driven hundreds of thousands of families into food poverty.

“This year’s Budget will be a chance for the Chancellor to start undoing some of this huge damage.”