We’ve bought ourselves six weeks to plan and figure out what’s next

UNITED STAR’S DELIGHT AFTER HE TRIGGERS GOVERNMENT U-TURN ON FREE SCHOOL MEALS

UNITED star Marcus Rashford has said he is planning his next move to help struggling families after his campaign to extend the children’s food voucher scheme into the summer holidays led to a government U-turn.

The 22-year-old England striker was praised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his highly personal campaign, which forced the change in policy.

Downing Street announced a one-off £120m fund which will benefit some 1.3 million children in England over the sixweek summer period.

Wythenshawe-born Rashford said he was ‘shocked’ by the decision, adding: “It’s a big decision for someone to make and I’m just grateful that the Prime Minister did change his decision and he understood.

“I spoke to him and thanked him for that. It’s a nice feeling but I’m just happy that people’s lives, and people’s summers especially, have been changed for the better.”

But the player said that people are ‘struggling all-year-round’ and he now wants to learn ‘how we can help them best’ in the future.

He said: “I think this is only going to be successful throughout the summer period so we’ve bought ourselves six weeks of time now to plan and figure out what’s next and keep taking steps forward.

“I don’t want this to be the end of it because there are definitely

Marcus Rashford said he was happy ‘people’s lives have been changed for the better’ more steps that need to be taken. So we just need to analyse the response.”

Discussing the phone call with Mr Johnson, Rashford said: “He was just grateful that someone had an opinion and shared it with people.