On 21st October MPs debated the extension of the funding provision of free school meals over the school holidays, in response to a campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford.
Unfortunately they voted against it.
Rashford’s petition to #endchildfoodpoverty has received 950,000 signatures – with the number continuing to rise. The petition calls for the government to support vulnerable children by implementing three recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals and activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger, and expand the Healthy Start scheme and increase the value of the vouchers to at least £4.25 per week.
Rashford himself has recalled the anxiety about food which he experienced as a child when his mother struggled to provide for her family. For children in similar situations, free school meals are not only nutritional, they also provide some relief from such anxiety.
According to Child Poverty Action Group, 4.2 million children were living in poverty in the UK in 2018-2019. In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic has made the situation tougher for many families, with 14% of parents and 10% of children having experienced food insecurity over the last six months; 32% of families have lost income as a result of the pandemic. The demand for food banks this winter is predicted to be 61% higher than last year.
It’s high time the Westminster government took more action to support families in need. The Scottish government has taken the right action in providing the most they can and scheduling free school meals for all students in each school making sure the offer is there for everyone.
So when will the English government follow suit?
