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The Tories have quietly broken a manifesto promise to give 4.7million kids free school breakfasts in yet another U-turn.

Theresa May made the vow a centrepiece of her election manifesto just a month ago, offering free breakfasts to all children in primary school.

But it depended on also withdrawing free school lunches from most pupils aged five to seven at the same time.

That policy prompted a backlash and Mrs May promptly ditched it after being branded the "lunch snatcher".

Until now ministers had not confirmed breakfasts were also off the table.

This week, in a written answer after MPs left for their summer break, the government finally admitted free breakfasts will not happen.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Instead the government will spend just £10million a year on breakfast clubs across 1,600 schools - a sixth of the planned budget.

Education Minister Robert Goodwill added: "Further details of the programme will be announced in due course."

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said: "This is yet another humiliating u-turn on education policy from Theresa May’s weak and wobbly government.

"Breakfast doesn’t mean breakfast, and they have made a mess of it.

"How can anyone believe a word they now say?"

(Image: Getty)

Children aged five to seven currently receive free school lunches no matter how rich or poor they are, unlike at other ages where they only go to the poorest pupils.

The Conservative manifesto proposed replacing this with universal breakfasts for all aged under 11, saying they would have a greater benefit at a fraction of the cost.

But the £60million price tag for school breakfasts was slammed after analysis showed the Tories had budgeted just 7p per breakfast.

The Conservative Party was later forced to admit the costs may "vary" and breakfasts would be "offered" to every pupil, not necessarily given to them all.