What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Theresa May appears on the verge of another embarrassing climbdown it emerged she had set aside just 7p a head for free primary school breakfasts.

Mrs May was branded a "lunch snatcher" after using the move to replace universal school lunches for all pupils aged five, six and seven.

The Tory manifesto claimed rationing lunches only to the poorest would bring the policy's cost down from £600 million a year to just £60million.

But an analysis by Schools Week found that budget worked out at just 6.8p per breakfast for each of the country's 4.62 million primary state school pupils.

The party released the £60 million figure in an official statement the night before their manifesto launch.

But now they have repeatedly refused to say if they stand by the figure.

And despite originally promising the breakfasts would go to "every pupil", they now clarify the meals will be "offered" for every pupil - rather than guaranteed.

(Image: Dan Kitwood)

There are reports the £60m figure was based on only a limited take-up without taking staff costs into account.

An analysis by Education Datalab found that if only half of primary school pupils took up the offer of free breakfasts at a cost of 25p each, the policy would cost more than £400 million to deliver.

A backlash to the policy came after a survey found over a third of teachers reported children returning from the school holidays with signs of malnutrition.

A Conservative spokeswoman said the party will "ensure that all primary schools can offer a free school breakfast to every child in every year of primary school".

She added: "More broadly, we will increase the schools budget so that by 2021/22 we will be spending £4 billion more on schools than now.

"This represents a real terms increase for every year of the Parliament, underpinned by a strong economy.”

But she repeatedly failed to answer the Mirror's questions about whether the party stood by the £60million figure.

A spokesman admitted to SchoolsWeek: "The costs will vary depending on how many pupils at any given school take up this offer."

Today, a former advisor to Michael Gove, who worked for the Tory MP while he was education secretary, warned benefit sanctions and cuts to support were forcing teachers to feed hungry children themselves.

Sam Freedman, now head of teacher training firm Teach First, wrote on Twitter: "So I'm angry. I've just been to a school in one of the most disadvantaged communities in the country + all their support is being cut away."

He went on: "Benefit sanctions mean staff are having to buy food parcels, with their own money, for the kids.

"And these kids are lovely. They want to do well and be successful but they've got no support at home."