Keir Starmer told free school meals for all primary kids is a 'no brainer'

08 October 2023 , 16:25

1170     0

Free school meals is a 'tried and tested' mechanism for raising children from poverty, a fringe event heard (Image: Humphrey Nemar.)

Keir Starmer is facing fresh pressure to put universal free school meals for primary children in Labour's next manifesto.

Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, who was a Commons aide to Mr Starmer until earlier this year, said the policy was a "no brainer" and urged delegates to collar Mr Starmer, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and other top party figures to make the case during Labour's annual conference in Liverpool.

"It's the best poverty alleviation method that there is to feed children in schools," Ms Hodgson told a fringe event organised by the Mirror and the National Education Union (NEU). "Feeding every child benefits every child. That has to be our mantra, if we're serious about social mobility - and we are - and raising the next generation up and out of poverty - which we are - then we have to bring in universal free school meals. It's a tried and tested mechanism, we all know it'll make real tangible change in the homes and hearts of all children everywhere."

Labour MP Sharon Hodgson with the Mirror's Lizzy Buchan at the free school meals fringe event (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

The Washington and Sunderland West MP pointed to a report by PwC last year, which found expanding the free school meals scheme could inject up to £41.3bn into the economy over 20 years. "It's just a no brainer. So it just blows my mind how it's so obvious when you even just start the talk about it," she said.

Ms Hodgson, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on school food, praised the rollout of free school meals in primary schools across London by Sadiq Khan - and said a Labour Government must follow suit. She added: "We've got to make this happen."

Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade

If you can't see the poll, click here

The Welsh and Scottish Government have already pledged to expand the free school meals scheme to all primary kids by next year. Welsh Education Minister Jeremy Miles told the event: "It's absolutely fundamental to the idea of equity and equality, giving every child the best start, regardless of their circumstances." He added: "No child should be in school hungry, and I'm incredibly proud of the work that we're doing very much hope that we'll see that happening across the UK."

NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede said: "We need to see a Government that views children as an investment in the future. Our young people are not a burden."

Mr Kebede, a former teacher, added: "Whether you are white working class from Wallsend or if you are the children of migrants from South America, who work in hotels, they are facing joint struggles. They are struggles from adequate housing, to clothing, to the basic resources that we need for our young children to flourish. And of course, they all have the shared struggle of the crushing burden of poverty and the hunger that that brings. Universal free school meals is the most important way I think that we can alleviate that crushing burden on young people."

Cllr Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader of Southwark Council, said schools in the London borough had gone from joint bottom in the country to 97% Ofsted rated good or outstanding since they introduced universal free school meals in primary schools a decade ago.

Pointing to a recent survey showing 17% of households in the UK were in food poverty, she said: "It is a sign of a society in profound decline. We see falling incomes, we see declining health and we see a pervasive sense of moral collapse. Hungry children must be the clearest possible indictment of Britain after 13 years of Tory rule."

Health experts also piled pressure on the Labour leader to put expanding free school meals in Labour's next manifesto. In a letter to Mr Starmer, seen by the Mirror, 26 public health leaders said school food "presents an unrivalled opportunity to support an entire generation with quality nutrition" for a large part of the year. The group includes TV medic Chris van Tulleken, 'This is Going to Hurt' author Adam Kay, as well as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the British Dental Association.

They told the Labour leader: "Investing in nutritious school meals will bolster the future of our health, our NHS and our economy. We urge you to take up this unrivalled opportunity to support our children’s health, reduce inequalities and support economic growth."

The group, backed by the Food Foundation, has also urged Rishi Sunak to extend the eligibility of Free School Meals to all school children, prioritising children from households on Universal Credit as a first step.

It comes after Hollywood stars Olivia Colman, Kate Winslet and singer Ed Sheeran joined a host of well known faces backing the Mirror's campaign for free school meals for all primary school children. Under current rules, children in state schools in England can claim free school meals up to the end of Year 2. After that, they are eligible only if their parent or carer receives certain benefits. Households on Universal Credit only qualify if their income is less than just £7,400 from work.

Greggs, Costa & Pret coffees have 'huge differences in caffeine', says report

An estimated 900,000 school age children who live in poverty already miss out due to strict eligibility rules, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.

Lizzy Buchan