Portsmouth MP hits out at government for failing to continue with food vouchers for disadvantaged children
A CITY MP has set up an open letter to be signed by the public in a bid to lobby the government into reversing its decision to take away the provision of free school meals for children across the summer holidays.
While disadvantaged children entitled to free school meals (FSM) have not usually seen food provision continue during holiday periods the onset of the coronavirus pandemic has seen food vouchers provided to FSM families over the Easter break and May half-term. However the government has announced the £15 per week voucher will not be continued over the summer holidays.
Portsmouth South MP, Stephen Morgan, believes this will result in children going hungry, with many disadvantaged families already struggling to put food on the table as the economic impact of the pandemic starts to bite.
Mr Morgan said: ‘This government has presided over a decade of inequality and injustice that has only been enhanced by Covid-19. To now risk taking food away from hungry children because term time has ended is counterproductive and only kicks struggling families while they are down.
‘Hunger doesn’t stop when kids get home. Parents know how important a healthy diet is for children, and for children from struggling families these meals are a lifeline. Once school is out, these families' kids will get left behind unless the PM changes his mind.’
With 1.3 million children reliant on term time free school meals the decision has sparked the non profit legal organisation, The Good Law Project, and food charity Sustain to threaten to take the Government to court over its refusal to extend the scheme.
The Labour MP is now calling on the public to back his demands that the government continues the voucher scheme over the summer holidays.
Mr Morgan said: ‘In the long-term we need the prime minister to lead efforts by government to tackle the causes of child poverty. Right now, we need him to step up, show leadership, and make sure the 1.3 million children don’t go hungry this summer.
‘I know how important this issue is to constituents. That’s why I am urging fellow Portsmouth people to sign my open letter urging the government to act.’
Mr Morgan’s call for action follows on from Manchester United and England forward, Marcus Rashford, who as a child relied on free school meals, to also write to the government asking them to reconsider the policy.
Rashford said: ‘Make the U-turn and make protecting the lives of some of our most vulnerable a top priority.’