THERE are growing fears that ministers will use the introduction of free breakfast clubs in all primary schools in England as an excuse to reject scrapping the two-child benefit cap this summer. 

Labour promised to roll out the breakfast club policy during its first term in office as part of its general election pledges.

It has refused to scrap the ban on families claiming child tax credits or universal credit for more than two children, despite experts and charities saying such a move would be a far more effective way of reducing poverty.

Announcing the first 750 schools to join the pilot scheme, the Department for Education said breakfast clubs have “an important role to play in the government’s commitment to remove the stain of child poverty.”

Labour MPs told the Observer it was clear that the emphasis on the clubs helping to end child poverty was evidence of a wider initiative to “soften us up” to be told the benefit cap would remain.