The Tory Party plans to scrap free school meals for children in the first three years of their education.
Despite reports that 3,000,000 children in the UK go hungry without school meals during the summer holidays, Theresa May has revealed a plan to remove universal free school lunches for infants.
Currently all children in the first three years of school get a hot meal at lunchtime but the Conservatives say scrapping that will save £650 million.
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Theresa May has been dubbed the ‘lunch snatcher’ by critics including the Liberal Democrats who said Mrs May earned the name just as Margaret Thatcher was dubbed the “milk snatcher” after she ended free school milk.
RT reports:
Under plans unveiled in the Conservative Party manifesto on Thursday, universal free school lunches for infant pupils in England will be stopped and replaced with free breakfasts across the primary years.
The current system provides all children in the first three years of school – aged five to seven – with a hot meal at lunchtime. The Tories say scrapping the policy will save £650 million (about US$850 million) that can be re-injected into school budgets.
The Tories say children from poorer families will still get free hot lunches – as well as breakfasts – throughout their education.
The free school meal policy was a flagship Liberal Democrat policy during their time in coalition with the Tories in 2010-15. The party’s education spokesperson, Sarah Olney, condemned the decision to scrap it.
“Margaret Thatcher was known as the ‘milk snatcher.’ Theresa May will go down in history as the lunch snatcher. Children under Theresa May will go hungry: it is that stark, and that heartless. But she just doesn’t care.”
Nick Clegg, formerly the deputy prime minister in the coalition, is “furious” that the policy he announced in 2013 has been scrapped, according to the Telegraph.
“Free infant lunches policy was saving millions of struggling families over £450. Breakfast covers fewer children. Cheaper for govt. Cynical,” Clegg tweeted.
“4 in 10 kids who DIDN’T receive free lunches prior to infant provision were officially in poverty. So much for compassionate Conservatives.”
Free infant lunches policy was saving millions of struggling families over £450. Breakfasts covers fewer children. Cheaper for govt. Cynical
— Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) May 18, 2017
What? Scrap free meals for infants and splurge money on selection instead? Clearest sign of the sour, mean Conservative government to come.
— Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) May 18, 2017
Niamh Harris
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