School meals: Government has ‘misunderstood’ public mood, senior Tory says, as children’s commissioner compares debate to ‘Oliver Twist’
Follow the day’s events as they happen
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
A senior Tory has said the government "misunderstood" the public mood over extending the free school meals scheme over holidays, amid mounting pressure for a U-turn on the issue.
Sir Bernard Jenkin and other Conservative MPs have added their voices to the increasing calls for a rethink after a vote last week rejected a bid to extend provision over the school holidays.
Labour has vowed to bring the issue back to the House of Commons in the absence of a U-turn before Christmas.
Meanwhile, the children’s commissioner for England has slammed the debate by comparing it to Oliver Twist.
Anne Longfield said she had been "horrified" by the recent debate over the extension of food vouchers for vulnerable children.
“We're a wealthy country, it's 2020,” she said. "To have a debate about whether we should make sure that hungry and vulnerable children have enough to eat is something that is strikingly similar to something we'd expect to see in chapters of Oliver Twist – a novel published in the 19th century.”
Hundreds of businesses and councils have announced that they will feed hungry pupils this week, supporting a campaign started by the England footballer Marcus Rashford.
‘This is urgent’
Extending free school meals until Easter is “vital”, the England children’s commissioner has said.
She said other measures are needed to address child food poverty, but that England is facing an "urgent" problem.
Here’s her tweet:
‘Untenable’
As well as discussing free school meals today, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan has shared her thoughts on Dido Harding’s position in the ailing NHS Test and Trace system.
Kate Devlin reports:
Labour says Dido Harding’s position as head of Test and Trace ‘untenable’
Tory MP also calls for her to be replaced
‘Intolerant’
An MP has called a 16-year-old constituent “intolerant” in a row over free school holiday meals for children.
Jane Dalton has the full story:
MP Philip Davies brands 16-year-old ‘intolerant’ for supporting free school meals extension
Philip Davies says pupil is ‘virtue signalling’ but later apologises
‘We have misunderstood the mood of the country here’
A senior Tory has said the government misjudged public sentiment over free school meals during holidays.
“I think we have to admit that we have misunderstood the mood of the country here,” Sir Bernard Jenkin said.
“The public want to see the government taking a national lead on this. I think the government will probably have to think again on that, particularly if there's going to be more votes in the House of Commons."
Asked how he would vote in any further Commons divisions, the MP told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "I shall wait to see what the government says and how they respond to the situation."
Additional reporting by PA
More Tory dissent…
Conservative MPs have spoken out against their party’s stance over free school meals, with a former minister saying it was a "mistake" not to extend the scheme over the holidays.
Tim Loughton, who abstained in last week's Commons vote, said he would vote to maintain them during the pandemic if there was another Commons division on the issue.
“For all the hassle this has caused, taking away from the really good measures the government has taken across the board, I just don't think it was worth the argument,” he told BBC Radio 4's The World this Weekend.
"Not spending £20m on further extending the school meal cover over the coming half term, I think, was just politically a mistake."
Additional reporting by PA
‘A cynical attempt to deflect attention’
“You know you’ve hit a nerve when Conservative MPs try to assert that free school meal vouchers will be traded for drugs,” Ian Hamilton writes.
"So far, neither MP has been able to provide evidence that such trading of vouchers and food parcels is widespread, but that is beside the point.
“This really isn’t about whether these vouchers are traded for drugs, rather, it’s a cynical attempt to deflect attention away from the government’s failure to halt the growth in child hunger in 2020.”
Read his take on Ben Bradley and Mark Jenkinson’s tweets below:
Opinion: Why Ben Bradley’s distraction tactics about child poverty failed so spectacularly
For a government that claims to be guided by the science, a cursory glance at the evidence would show that overall use of drugs is in decline in these communities
Free school meals protest
Protesters have rallied for free school meals to be extended over holidays in England.
Here are some images from Saturday’s demonstration in London:
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health letter
Paediatricians have also piled pressure on the government to U-turn over the free school meals decision.
Full story on their open letter - which has more than 2,000 signatures - here:
UK doctors demand free meals for kids as COVID fuels hunger
Pediatricians are urging the British government to reverse course and provide free meals for poor children during school holidays as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes more families into poverty
‘Oliver Twist’
The children’s commissioner for England condemned the debate over whether free school meals should be extended as like something from Oliver Twist earlier today.
Catch her interview here:
Wonder how many local initiatives have offered to help feed children over half-term?
Take a look at this striking map Marcus Rashford has shared:
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments