css-14iz86j-BoldText {font-weight: bold;} The Labor Party has given ministers 72 hours to agree to provide free school meals during the holidays, warning that a million children could to be hungry
Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said « now is the time to act », and Labor warned they would force a MPs vote if the program was not prolonged
Footballer Marcus Rashford has pledged to continue his free school meals campaign after government rejects it
It comes after former Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on Boris Johnson to give 15 million children free meals outside of trimesters
M Brown said it would cost around £ 20million per week to provide the 15 million most underprivileged children with free meals during midterm and at Christmas
The Welsh government has pledged to provide free school meals during the holidays until Easter next year
But Downing Street has indicated that free meals will not be provided to children in England over Christmas
A spokesperson for Number 10 said: « It is not for schools to regularly provide food to students during school holidays »
Ms Green said: ‘Millions of families are at risk of losing their livelihoods because the government has lost control of the virus
« Thanks to his support plans, more than a million children are at risk of going hungry during the school holidays
« Now is the time to act Labor will not stand idly by and let families fall victim to government incompetence »
She said if the prime minister didn’t change course, the party would force a vote and « give its backbenchers a chance to do the right thing »
He said: « Schools are working incredibly hard to help children catch up on learning difficulties amid continued disruption caused by rising rates of Covid infection, and the students who have the most in need of support are often those from disadvantaged backgrounds
« Then having a situation where they could go hungry during the holidays is very obviously detrimental to their well-being and their academic progress »
A government spokeswoman said « substantial action » has been taken to ensure children do not go hungry
Measures include extending free school meals while schools are closed, increasing social assistance by £ 9 3bn and giving councils £ 63m to provide emergency support to families for food and other essentials, she said
In June, M Rashford urged the government to go back on free meals over the summer break, a campaign which saw the England and Manchester United striker become MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honors list earlier this month
More than 200,000 people have added their names to his petition, that everyone under 16 in England whose parent or guardian receives Universal Credit should receive free school meals, including during holidays
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Marcus Rashford, school meals, school, poverty, Manchester United FC, Labor Party
News from around the world – United States – School meals: Labor backs Marcus Rashford campaign