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Marcus Rashford said he will continue the campaign to end child food poverty after an attempt to extend free school meals for disadvantaged youth during school holidays was defeated.
Labor filed a motion in the House of Commons, asking that support for the poorest children run until next Easter.
But tonight the candidacy was defeated in Parliament, with 261 votes in favor and 322 against.
Manchester United striker Rashford, who starred in the club’s win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, took to Twitter to warn that the problem “has the potential to become the biggest pandemic the country has ever faced.” .
His campaign previously forced the government to take a 180-degree turn and extended the provision of free school meals during the summer holidays.
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Rashford said: “These children matter. These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic. And as long as they don’t have a voice, they will have mine. They have my word on it.”
Earlier today, Boris Johnson had refused to make another U-turn.
In Questions from the Prime Minister, he said: “We support low-income children in school and will continue to do so.
“But the most important thing is to keep them in school and not be dragged into another national lockdown that takes them out of school.
“We will continue to use the benefit system and all income systems to support the children during the holidays as well.”
On Twitter, the 22-year-old United star called on politicians to act for the sake of starving children.
He said: “Let’s put aside all the noise, excavations, party politics and focus on reality.
“A significant number of children go to sleep tonight not only hungry, but they feel they don’t matter because of the comments that have been made today.
“We must stop stigmatizing, judging and pointing fingers. Our views are clouded by political affiliation.
“This is not politics, this is humanity.”
Earlier this month, Wythenshawe’s Rashford received an MBE on the Queens Birthday Honor list in recognition of his efforts.
During an earlier debate on the Commons, Conservative MP David Simmonds said: “What does it say about the Opposition’s priorities that all of their interests are simply sidelined in favor of winning the favor of wealth and power and status of celebrity, spending taxpayer money to win favor – with celebrity status, wealth and power.
“Now I have no doubt that Mr. Rashford is an expert in his own experience, but we must not forget that the experiences he so movingly described took place under a Labor government that was supposedly at the height of its powers to address the issue. child poverty in this country. . “
Reacting to the vote, Stretford and Urmston MP and Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said: “Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have gravely defrauded more than a million children and their families.”
“No child should go hungry during the holidays, but the government is blocking the actions necessary to prevent it.
“We pay tribute to Marcus Rashford and others for highlighting this incredibly important topic.
“This campaign has not ended and the government must reconsider.”
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