SOCCER HERO 1 MINISTERS 0
Huge win for England star as MPs U-turn on free meals for children
ENGLAND football star Marcus Rashford blasted away ministers’ defences yesterday – forcing a humiliating U-turn over their decision to cut free school meals for vulnerable children.
The Manchester United striker, 22, had won vast support in his fight against the Government’s refusal to continue the scheme over the summer months.
Boris Johnson has now agreed to pay an extra £120million to extend free school meal vouchers across the six weeks of the holidays, available to 1.3million children.
Rashford, who had free school meals as a child growing up in Wythenshawe, Manchester, wrote on Twitter: ‘Just look at what we can do when we come together, THIS is England in 2020.’
He was hailed by MPs as ‘an inspiration and a hero of our time’.
The star had written an open letter to the Prime Minister and won the backing of Tory MPs including former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson. But yesterday, announcing the climbdown, Mr Johnson claimed he had only been made aware of the campaign that day.
In an article for The Times on Tuesday, Rashford had written: ‘I don’t claim to have the education of an MP in Parliament, but I do have a social education.
‘I’m clued up on the difference a U-turn decision would make on 1.3million vulnerable children registered for free school meals, because ten years ago I was one of them.’
The Department for Education insisted on Monday that the national voucher scheme was for ‘term time only’.
But yesterday, the Prime Minister said he had spoken to the player to ‘congratulate him’ on his campaign, saying the scheme was the ‘right thing to do’.
The U-turn came hours after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted the
Government had been ‘ wrapping its arms around the community’.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: ‘It is usually the case that over the summer holidays, free school meals are not available, schools are not there.
‘But we have actually, unusually in this case, along with the other multi-billion pound package we have put in place to help families, also provided £63million to help local authorities help children over this period as well, so there has been additional support, and of course no one would want otherwise.’
Therese Coffey, the Work and Pensions Secretary, was criticised after involving herself in the row.
Earlier, Rashford had tweeted: ‘When you wake up this morning and run your shower, take a second to think about parents who have had their water turned off during lockdown.’
Miss Coffey posted in response: ‘Water cannot be disconnected though.’
Rashford replied: ‘I’m concerned this is the only tweet of mine you acknowledged. Please, put rivalries aside for a second, and make a difference #maketheuturn.’ Labour accused her of making a ‘snarky’ comment.
After the official rethink, Rashford wrote to his 2.8million Twitter followers: ‘To all MPs. This was never about me or you, this was never about politics, this was a cry out for help from vulnerable parents all over the country and I simply provided a platform for their voices to be heard.
‘I stand proud today knowing that we have listened, and we have done what is right. There is still a long way to go but I am thankful to you all that we have given these families just one less thing to worry about tonight.
‘The wellbeing of our children should ALWAYS be a priority.’
Mr Johnson said: ‘I talked to Marcus Rashford to congratulate him on his campaigning, which to be honest I only became aware of very recently – today.
‘I thank him for what he has done. I think he is right to draw attention to this issue, and basically we’ve got large numbers of kids who haven’t been able to get back into school.
‘I do think it’s right that we should be looking after families of the most vulnerable and the neediest right now and that’s why we have got the Covid summer food plan, which we’ve announced today, and I hope it will make a big difference to those kids and those families.’
The Prime Minister added: ‘We set out a voucher scheme for the first couple of holidays. Clearly free school meals should generally apply in term time, that’s what they are there for.
‘But we have to understand the pressures families are under right now and that’s why we’ve responded as we have. As I say, I think it is the right thing to do and it will help the kids from the families who really need it.’
The cost will be equivalent to £15 a week per child, Downing Street said.
It is understood that payment will be through a one-off six-week voucher given to eligible families at the end of term to use in supermarkets.
Calling Rashford an ‘inspiration’, the chairman of the education select committee Robert Halfon said he was worried that Britain is now facing ‘an ice age for vulnerable children’.