Update: Since this article was first posted and we reported on Marcus Rashfords comments against Boris Johnson’s plans; Government has announced they will now provide free school meals to children in England over the summer.
Thatcher took the milk from Children’s hands and now, in 2020, Boris Johnson aims to take the food from children’s plates! The Prime Minister’s plan to end free school meals for disadvantaged have been savaged in an open letter by footballer Marcus Rashford.
Boris Johnson is facing a rebellion from Tory MPs after he rejecting pleas give free meals to children during the summer holidays. Boris Johnson is focused on ending this policy, while the Coronavirus pandemic continues to make it difficult for many British families.
It will cost Government around £120 million to continue providing free meals to children over the summer while the Governments furlough scheme is thought to total over £80 BILLION.
Rashford has called on the Government to make a U-turn on this policy in today’s vote, fearing that many children will go hungry over summer. In an open letter to all MP’s, Rashford calls on MP’s to ‘maketheUturn’ and vote against the Prime Ministers plans to take food off Children’s plates this summer.
Rashford recalls his own experiences as a child from a more disadvantaged household in Manchester, commenting; “This is a system failure, and without education, we are encouraging this circle of hardship to continue”.
“This is why the benefits system exists,” an unnamed minister told Rashford.
Rashford, rightfully points out how the Government has appeared to do everything it could to ‘save’ the ecconomy from collapsing by paying businesses billions using the furlough scheme; but the Government now stops short at helping children from disadvantaged children.
Government ministers now face a huge backlash from the public, many supporting the call for more Government to do more help for children from poorer families, and to help society in general.
This Morning, Piers Morgan joined in Rashfords attack on the government, pointing out how Matt Hancock called on footballers to do more, going as far as calling on footballers to take a pay cut; calling ministers hypocrites for refusing to take a pay cut themselves.
Government Grant Shapps responded this morning by saying they have ‘wrapped their arms’ around communities and provide more money to Local Councils. The minister stopped short at saying they would save free meals for children.
The Government previously stated they would wrap their arms around care home, but in reality, they allowed Coronavirus into care homes, leading to thousands fo unavoidable deaths and suffering.
The current issues with food poverty in England have been amplified by the COVID19 pandemic. In normal times, many children from disadvantaged children rely on breakfast clubs, school meals and after school clubs.
The COVID19 Pandemic has forced most workplaces to close, which has put an even bigger burden on parents. Years of Conservative rule has pushed many in the working classes into taking zero-hour jobs to make ends meet; yet when businesses were closed those on zero-hour or casual work were not furloughed. Instead, people who worked zero-hour contracts were forced to claim Universal Credit.
This unfair-treatment of low paid workers by Government during the Pandemic makes Rashfords U-turn call more important than ever, as ending free meals for children from poor backgrounds will lead to massive imbalances in society, and many children simply not eating properly.
Parliament will vote on free meals for children today. It is hoped that Conservative Ministers will rebel against Boris Johnson, and vote to keep the free meals for children, who need them. It is a fact that the Government failed to protect care homes, we cannot allow them to fail our children as well.
UPDATE: Governments Therese Coffey has enraged members of the public this morning, responding to Rashfords plea with an arrogant example of how tone-deaf she can be.
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