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More than a million people have signed Marcus Rashford’s petition calling on the government to extend free school meals.
The number of signatories reached 1,001,500 at 5 p.m. Wednesday, two weeks since the footballer created it as part of his campaign to end child food poverty.
Until now, Boris Johnson has been reluctant to make a U-turn similar to that of earlier this year, when free extended school meals during summer break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Labor also tried to force the prime minister to do so during the Christmas and February midterm holidays, but were defeated in a Commons vote last week.
Johnson was later pressured by some of his own MPs to change his mind, with a minor member of the government resigned over the issue.
In his petition, Rashford says ministers must “support vulnerable children” by implementing three recommendations from the National Food Strategy.
They are:
- Extend free school meals to everyone under 16 when a parent or guardian receives Universal Credit or an equivalent benefit.
- Provide meals and activities throughout the vacation.
- Increase the value of the Healthy Start vouchers to at least £ 4.25 per week and expand the program.
After the petition passed 1 million signatures, a Labor leader said they would try again to force the government to change tack if Johnson didn’t want to.
“If the government does not change its refusal to feed starving children during the school holidays, Labor will force another vote on this in the House of Commons,” tweeted shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard.
