Government missed open goal with meals campaign
YOU can’t help but think that Boris Johnson and his government have missed an open goal in PR terms, by failing to support Marcus Rashford in his quest to get free school meals supplied to schoolkids during their holidays.
This scenario opens up wider questions.
Should we be concerned about a relatively paltry £20m a week cost of meals, when an estimated £300bn has already been sprayed around in the fight against Covid - a large chunk of which is known to have been subject to assorted fraudulent claims, something I have already written about.
Should there be a need for food banks when we are paying numerous IT consultants a daily rate of between £2,400 and £7,360, to sort out the failing track
and trace procedure? (Goodness knows how much their bosses are earning!).
Should people be losing their homes in order to pay care costs, while the UK still hands out billions in foreign aid, and the Arts Council England provides grants supporting things as diverse as a drag artist, a beatbox singer and an exhibition promoting China’s expansionist policy?
I realise that fraud exists within the benefits system, but the vast majority of people who access the system do so out of genuine need, and these people need support, especially during these Coviddominated days.
As a Conservative voter, I expect the government, which I helped to put into power, to clearly display a bit more compassion, understanding, decency ... and plain common sense when it comes to picking up the public mood.
I think the expression “One Nation Conservatism” comes to mind, as well as “We’re All in it Together”.
Rob Milner, Hedon.