The Liberal Democrats have nicknamed Theresa May the "lunch snatcher" over Tory plans to apparently scrap free school meals.

Under plans to be unveiled in the Conservative Party manifesto on Thursday, universal free school lunches for infant pupils in England will be scrapped but free breakfasts offered across the primary years.

The Lib Dems said Mrs May would earn the name just as Margaret Thatcher was dubbed the "milk snatcher" after she ended free school milk.

Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson, said: "Margaret Thatcher was known as the 'milk snatcher'.

"Theresa May will go down as the lunch snatcher."

Free school meals will be no more. Credit: PA

She added: "Children under Theresa May will go hungry: it is that stark, and that heartless. But she just doesn't care.

"Giving infants free school meals was a major achievement of the Liberal Democrats in the coalition government.

"And we have committed in our manifesto to ensuring that every child in primary school will be guaranteed at least one proper meal a day.

"We would reverse Theresa May's cuts to school-funding.

"We want to give all our children a brighter future in a fairer Britain where people are decent to each other, with good schools and hospitals, a clean environment and an innovative economy. Not Theresa May’s cold, mean-spirited Britain."