[ad_1]
Boris Johnson is preparing to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in Christmas clubs in an attempt to defuse the dispute over free school meals.
The Prime Minister insisted yesterday that the Government “will do everything in our power to ensure that no child, no child goes hungry.”
But he resisted calls for a U-turn over his refusal to extend free school meals for children in England over the Christmas holidays.
The Prime Minister insisted yesterday that the Government “will do everything in our power to ensure that no child, no child goes hungry.”
As pressure continued to build on the government to act, a petition from footballer Marcus Rashford yesterday surpassed 900,000 signatures.
On a visit to a hospital in Reading, Johnson said it was okay that the Universal Credit had been increased by £ 20 a week, while £ 63 million had been provided to local authorities to help those struggling to pay for food and basic items.
Downing Street noted that Chancellor Rishi Sunak may announce additional support next month on the spending review.
The Mail understands that one proposal being considered is the nationwide implementation of a plan to create vacation clubs for disadvantaged children.
Under a pilot program that rolled out in 17 areas this summer, 50,000 students who generally receive free school meals participated in the program, which offers outdoor activities and a hot meal.
In a government-commissioned report earlier this year, Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain, recommended that the plan be available throughout England, with eligibility extended to all families receiving Universal Credit.
The Mail understands that one proposal being considered is the nationwide launch of a plan to create vacation clubs for disadvantaged children. Slice: Mila, una, eat free pizza
This is estimated to allow an additional 1.1 million children to participate at a cost of £ 200 million. Sunak is also understood to be “open” to the idea of extending the £ 20-a-week increase in universal credit, which will end in April.
Former Conservative Minister George Freeman yesterday asked the government to “accept that we misjudge the mood” and that we “were wrong” last week in opposing a Labor motion to provide free school meals during the October semester.
In a statement on Twitter, he wrote: “In hindsight, I think it was a mistake … the tribal parliamentary policy of the past week disappointed a nation seeking a spirit of working together for the common good.”
The Prime Minister yesterday defended his handling of the dispute.
Speaking at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, he said: “We don’t want children to go hungry this winter, this Christmas, certainly not as a result of the lack of care from this government, and they are not going to see it.”
Johnson said he hadn’t spoken to Rashford since June “but what he’s doing is fantastic.”
The Prime Minister said that the Government is’ raising the Universal Credit by £ 1,000 ‘adding:’ I fully understand the problem of holiday hunger, it is there, we have to deal with it. The debate is how to deal with that. ‘
But even conservative councils said that the £ 63 million received from the central government in June is not proving to be enough to cover the cost of providing Christmas meals.
Izzi Seccombe, the Conservative leader of the Warwickshire County Council, which is paying for meals for the middle of the quarter and Christmas, said: “We have spent that money, already over half a million pounds has been spent.”
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that it would be “difficult” for local authorities to pay for the support, adding: “We are going to fund it ourselves now … so we will try to find it from other sources.”
While the pressure continued to accumulate on the Government to act, a request from footballer Marcus Rashford yesterday exceeded 900,000 signatures
But across the country, friendly companies have stepped in to help struggling families.
Eight-year-old Poppy couldn’t contain her excitement yesterday when she picked up her Hawaiian pizza from a pub that offered free food for half the term.
Her mother, Simone Barks, 28, had taken her to The Shortlands Tavern in Bromley, southeast London, along with her seven-year-old brother Stanley and one-year-old sister Mila.
The pub is one of many that have volunteered to feed starving children, from small businesses to fast food giant McDonald’s.
Miss Barks, a former dinner lady who lost her job due to the pandemic, said: “I couldn’t believe how kind companies have been to support families like us.
“This semester has been a struggle, I depend a lot on free school meals for the children.”
Meanwhile, Conservative MPs said yesterday they had received death threats and vandalized their offices after last week’s vote.
Stuart Anderson, MP for Wolverhampton South West, said the word ‘scum’ was sprayed on a window in his office.
In a statement, the father of five children said: ‘I have received threats against me, threats against my family and my staff have been intimidated.
“I accept political arguments, but the safety of people should not be affected by acts of vandalism and selective harassment.”
