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Marcus Rashford has reaffirmed his request that free meals be provided to eligible children during all school holidays, as his request exceeded 200,000 names.
The soccer player is campaigning to end child food poverty and also wants the free meals program to be extended to all households with Universal Credit.
It says it would reach 1.5 million children between the ages of seven and 16 who are currently being lost.
Rashford’s petition was launched on Thursday and surpassed the 100,000 threshold to be considered for parliamentary debate in just 10 hours.
At 10.30 a.m. As of Friday, it had 202,000 names and it was going up.
The Manchester United star celebrated the milestone, tweeting a graphic of the activists’ demands.
“We will not accept less than these 3 requests,” he said.
“This is an urgent matter to stabilize the homes of millions of people: unemployment, end of leave, personal loss, illness …
“200,000 signatures: the British people care. I urge those in power to show that they care too …”
Rashford attacked the government on Thursday, saying he would “not be leaving soon” when it rejected his latest campaign.
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Number 10 insists that he took meaningful action after Rashford’s initial campaign, but that it is inappropriate to go further.
“Schools should not provide food to students during school holidays,” a Downing Street spokesman said on Thursday.
“We believe the best way to support families outside of school is through Universal Credit rather than subsidizing government meals.”
Rashford, 22, was recently did an MBE for her services to vulnerable children in honor of the Queen’s birthday.
He forced a U-turn on free school meal vouchers for eligible students during summer vacation after explaining how similar plans had helped him.
But the Downing Street spokesman said circumstances had changed.
“We made the decision to extend free school meals during the pandemic when schools were partially closed during closure,” he said.
“We are in a different position now with schools once again open to all students.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab endorsed that position when he spoke to Sky’s Kay Burley on Friday morning.
He said he had “a lot of time” for Rashford and understands he is “speaking from the heart.”
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However, he said that the appropriate measures have now been implemented, such as giving local authorities “emergency money precisely to deal with these types of scenarios.”
“We will always listen to what Marcus has to say,” Raab said.
“But I think we have already implemented the correct package and of course the parliament can debate these issues and it is quite correct that they do so.”
The expansion of free school meals is one of three National Food Strategy policy recommendations that Rashford is endorsing.
It also calls for an expansion of school holiday food and activity programs to more families, and an increase in the value of Healthy Start vouchers from £ 3.10 per week to £ 4.25.
The coupons offer free milk and produce to pregnant mothers and families with young children.
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