TORY minister Jacob Rees Mogg has reacted furiously to UNICEF’s programme to feed starving kids in the UK, branding it "shameful" and “cheap".

He said the humanitarian agency were playing politics. 

Earlier this week, the UN agency launched a domestic emergency response in the UK for the first time in its more than 70-year history, promising £25,000 to the community project School Food Matters.

READ MORE: Unicef to help feed children in the UK for first time in 70 years

The money will be used to supply 18,000 nutritious breakfasts to 25 schools in South London over the two-week Christmas holidays and February half-term.

The food delivery firm Abel & Cole will also provide 1.2 tonnes of fruit and veg worth £4500 to include in the boxes.

Anna Kettley, the director of programmes at Unicef UK, said the emergency response was “introduced to tackle the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus crisis and reach the families most in need.”

The initiative was raised in the Commons on Thursday during Business Questions.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana compared the plight of the children in South London to the rising fortunes of Tory donors. 

Earlier, analysis by the New York Times revealed that of the roughly $22bn worth of UK government contracts that have been made public, about $11bn went to companies either run by "friends and associates of politicians in the Tories or with no prior experience or a history of controversy."

READ MORE: Scathing New York Times pieces details Tory 'waste, negligence and cronyism'

Sultana said: “For the first time ever Unicef, the UN agency responsible for providing humanitarian aid to children, is having to feed working class kids in the UK. 

“But while children go hungry, a wealthy few enjoy obscene riches from Tory donors handed billions in dodgy Covid contracts, or people like the leader of the house who is reportedly in line to receive an £800,000 dividend payout this year. 

“So, will he give government time to discuss the need to make him and his super rich chums, pay their fair share, so we can end the grotesque inequality that scars our society?”

Rees-Mogg said: “I think it's a real scandal that Unicef should be playing politics in this way when it is meant to be looking after people in the poorest, the most deprived countries in the world, where people are starving, where there are famines, and where there are civil wars, and they make cheap political points of this kind, giving I think £25,000 to one council.

“It is a political stunt of the lowest order. What is this government doing about child poverty? We are committed to our manifesto pledge to reduce child poverty. We've expanded free school meals for all five to seven year olds benefiting 1.4 million children, we’ve doubled free childcare for eligible working parents, and will establish a one billion childcare plan giving parents support and freedom to look after children.

"We're spending £400m pounds of taxpayers money to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter and through 2021. 

“Since 2010 to 2018/19, there are 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty in this country. This is a record of success of conservatism and Unicef should be ashamed”.