Ministers are being urged to re-think plans to cut free school meals in England after a defeat in the House of Lords. 

Peers backed a motion tabled by Labour’s Steve Bassam on Tuesday evening, which calls on the government to delay implementing changes to its free school meals policy until a full impact assessment is carried out. 

Charities and other campaigners claim that the welfare reforms tied to universal credit would see up to a million children denied eligibility for free lunches if the changes are rolled out nationwide. 

Bassm said he was “delighted” with the 167-160 vote in his favour. 

“My mum would have been proud,” he posted on Twitter.

“Now the Govt should honour the terms of the motion, halt the introduction of the cuts and bring forward a poverty impact assessment before making any changes.”

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said she was “extremely happy” with the result. 

Labour has called on the government to halt the proposals – which do not apply in Northern Ireland, therefore protecting constituencies represented by the Democratic Unionist Party from the curbs.

“Tory and DUP MPs may have forced through changes that will hit the poorest families the hardest, but Labour will continue fighting for decent childcare and opposing the Tories’ decision to deny free school meals to up to a million of England’s most deprived children,” she previously told HuffPost UK.

“The next Labour government will extend childcare provision and provide free school meals for all primary school children.”

Rayner added that Labour’s pressure, the Conservatives had now been forced to delay closing the childcare vouchers scheme for at least another six months.