Heidi Allen, the Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, used her maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday to criticise the government’s plans to cut tax credits.

While conceding that “tax credits do need to change”, she stated that “too many people will be adversely affected” by the current proposals.

The speech, which was described by Labour MP Roger Godsiff as “remarkable” and “excellent”, came during an Opposition Day debate that moved to call the government to reverse its decision on tax credits, the cuts to which are scheduled to come into effect in April 2016.

Allen, who represents students at both Homerton and Girton Colleges, said that the proposed changes, which will see the government aim to cut £4.5 billion from the tax credits bill, were not in keeping with Conservative values.

She claimed that “true Conservatives have compassion running through their veins” as she drew attention to the “many” for whom “choosing whether to eat or heat is…the reality.”

The MP accused the government of a “single-minded determination to reach a budget surplus.”

While Allen eventually voted with her party to reject the opposition’s motion, she argued that the government’s proposals fall short of passing the ‘family test’, a criterion introduced by David Cameron last August under which new domestic policies are evaluated according to their impact on the family.

Allen made her case on the grounds that “cutting tax credits before wages rise”, “showing parents will be better off not working” and “sending a message to the poorest and most vulnerable in our society that we do not care” all stand in opposition to this test.

The government plans to counteract the impact of tax credit cuts with the creation of the National Living Wage. However, in saying that these changes are “not concurrent”, the South Cambridgeshire MP joins a growing list of Conservative MPs voicing concerns about the transitional period once the changes come into effect.

David Cameron defended the government’s approach to tax credits at Prime Minister’s Questions, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn challenged the Prime Minister to tell the House which part of Allen’s speech he disagreed with.

This is not the first time that Allen has criticised plans put forward by the government, having previously condemned housing plans.

In September, she said that the government’s right-to-buy plans, which she argues will see local authorities “forced to sell their high-value council houses without keeping the full financial reward”, will not work for Cambridge.

Allen, who holds a degree in astrophysics, was elected as MP for South Cambridgeshire in May’s General Election with a majority of 20,594 votes. Prior to entering parliament she was a businesswoman, with experience working for organisations including ExxonMobil and Royal Mail.

She was selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat, held by the Conservatives since its creation in 1997 by former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, after missing out on the Conservative candidacy for South East Cambridgeshire months earlier following a miscount of votes.