MARCUS RASHFORD will not stop fighting to get children free school meals during the summer holidays. The Government has already rejected the Manchester United star’s plea to stop kids going hungry when the school-meal vouchers system is halted at the end of this term. A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Rashford for ‘using […]
MARCUS RASHFORD will not stop fighting to get children free school meals during the summer holidays.
The Government has already rejected the Manchester United star’s plea to stop kids going hungry when the school-meal vouchers system is halted at the end of this term.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Rashford for ‘using his profile in a positive way to highlight some very important issues’ in his open letter to Parliament.
But they stopped short of granting his request and said: “The PM understands the issues facing families across the UK which is why last week the government announced £63m for local authorities to benefit families who are struggling to afford food.”
Rashford has already raised £20million through FareShare to help provide three million meals a week to those most in need.
He yesterday thanked people for the support he has received and vowed to continue pushing PM Johnson to do more.
He tweeted: “Wow, just got home from training and I’m blown away with the support. It’s not over yet, let’s keep retweeting and tagging MPs. We need to be the voice for those 200,000 children who have no choice but to skip meals today, I refuse to give up. #maketheUturn.”
Rashford will receive a direct response from the PM but the Department of Education indicated that things would not change.
Their spokesperson said: “Free schools meals are ordinarily term time only, and the national voucher scheme will not run during the summer holidays.”
Rashford said in his letter to all 650 MPs that ‘Food poverty in England is a pandemic that could span generations’.
The impassioned Three Lions frontman, 22, wrote: “The Government has taken a ‘whatever it takes’ approach to the economy.
“I’m asking you today to extend that same thinking to protecting vulnerable children across England.
“I encourage you to hear their pleas and find your humanity.
“Please reconsider your decision to cancel the food voucher scheme over the summer holiday.
“Please make the U-turn and make protecting the lives of some of our most vulnerable a top priority.”
