MORE than 100 peaceful protestors demonstrated outside a Tory MP's headquarters after the Government voted against a motion to extend free school meals.

Activists gathered outside the offices of Southend West MP David Amess on Sunday morning as part of the All Rise Collective's Empty Plate Protest.

Armed with placards and dinner plates, which featured displeased messages, the protesters called on Downing Street to reconsider its stance on free school meals.

On Wednesday evening, a motion to extend the Free School Meals Scheme until Easter 2021 was defeated by a majority of 61 after 322 MPs voted against it.

Along with several other Essex politicians, MP David Amess also dismissed the proposal, which suggested giving free food to children during the half term.

The outcome of the vote has since resulted in uproar across the nation, which protestors did not shy away from echoing. 

A spokesman for All Rise Collective said: "With 29 per cent of Southend's children living in poverty pre-Covid, we can only imagine that these figures have increased.

"The Free School Meals scheme is essential to ensure our children are fed regardless of their families' financial position.

"In one of the richest countries in the world, no child should be left to go hungry.

"Appalled by local MP's decision to vote against extending the free school meals provisions over the school holidays, over 150 Southend residents joined together at local MP, David Amess' office in a peaceful protest, bringing along plates on which messages had been written, and laid at the door of Amess' constituency office."

All Pictures: Gaz de Vere