Labour under pressure to put free school meals in its general election manifesto

18 June 2023 , 18:03

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We're calling for free school meals for all children (Stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Labour’s leadership is under mounting pressure to put free school meals at the heart of the party’s election offer.

Dozen of Labour MPs and peers have backed calls for England to follow Scotland and Wales by providing all primary-age children with at least one hot meal a day.

And they have signed an open letter by the Mirror and the National Education Union urging the party to honour its conference pledge to roll out free school meals universally.

The letter notes there are four million children in the country who are not eating regularly or are having to skip meals entirely.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons (PA)

It goes on: “This massive inequality is holding the next generation of England’s children back.

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“It is limiting their ability to learn in school, with long-term social, health and economic consequences that damage the future prosperity of our country.

“For the first three years of school, every child in England gets a hot dinner – and no child under seven wants for food while at school.

“But from Year 3 on, millions as young as seven miss out on a healthy meal at school.

“ Labour Party Conference voted unanimously in September 2022 to adopt free school meals for all primary school children as party policy. Now is the time for the Labour Party to step up and honour this pledge.”

Among the MPs backing the call by the Mirror and NEU are Sharon Hodgson, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Sarah Champion. The letter has also been signed by Labour ex-Cabinet ministers Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Lord Paul Murphy and Lord Paul Boateng.

The Mirror’s campaign for free school meals in England has been backed by celebrity chefs such as Tom Kerridge, plus Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

And London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will provide free meals for a year for all primary school children in the capital from September.

Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “It is to the credit of Labour members that the party endorsed calls to extend free school meals for all primary school children in 2022 at their conference.

“We now need Government to recognise the significant impact this would have on children. The support of Labour MPs, peers and mayors is essential if we are to achieve this.”

Jason Beattie