School meals: Government has ‘misunderstood’ public mood, senior Tory says, as children’s commissioner compares debate to ‘Oliver Twist’
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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.
Empty plate protest in Southend
After the MP for Southend West voted against free school meals, local residents left protest plates outside the door of the Conservative Party headquarters.
The messages scrawled on the plates included “Lunch is not a luxury” and “Grinch who stole free school meal vouchers”.
Council funds free meals in Northamptonshire
Tory MPs in Northamptonshire have reacted with “delight” after the county council announced it would fund free school meals over half term.
Peter Bone and Chris Heaton-Harris were both keen to claim that the measure was “paid for by this week’s extra government funding.”
However residents were sceptical of the MPs role in the decision after it was announced by Tory council leader Matthew Golby. One pointed out that they all voted against providing free school meals to children in need over half-term.
PM faces backbench revolt over school meals
Boris Johnson is facing a growing backbench revolt over his handling of the free school meals row after the Children’s Commissioner for England compared the government’s actions to a Dickens novel.
Anne Longfield said she was "horrified" by the government’s refusal to extend free school meals to disadvantaged pupils over the October half-term and Christmas breaks.
“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.”
Boris Johnson facing growing backbench revolt over handling of free school meals row
As Children’s Commissioner for England invokes Oliver Twist
That’s it for our politics coverage for today. Thanks for reading.
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