Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Pressure grows to reverse meal cuts
yesterday, as he continued to deny hungry children free holiday meals.
The hypocritical PM even praised Marcus Rashford’s poor kids campaign but still snubbed calls to feed them.
With 16 million people now in lockdown and many struggling to make ends meet, shameless Mr Johnson posed for a photo opportunity at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading where he served up sausage and mash as part of a food review plan.
But the move left a bad taste as he refused to extend free school meals for poverty-stricken kids into the half-term and Christmas holidays, despite the growing anger and a Tory revolt.
Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said: “The Government must make children a national priority, and ensure no child goes hungry.”
More than 1,000 doctors wrote to the PM demanding a U-turn.
And local businesses, councillors and volunteers stepped in to provide thousands of meals for poor kids on the first day of half-term.
Mr Johnson hailed 22-year-old Manchester United star Marcus’ campaign as “terrific”, despite Tory MPS voting against his wishes.
But Ms Green added: “Warm words from Johnson will do nothing for the over 1.4 million children at risk of going hungry this half-term that he and his MPS refused to help.”
The PM admitted he has not been in contact with Marcus since June, after being forced into a U-turn on extending free school meals into the summer holidays. Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrongly claimed yesterday there “has been communication” between the two.
Marcus tweeted: “Hmm, unless he’s referring to the call we had following the U-turn in June?”