Government refusing to feed hungry kids again

[noblegiraffe]

The new government food strategy out today should have included a plan to extend free school meals to all families on Universal Credit, as recommended by the review of the school system, and as requested by the teaching and head teaching unions among other educational professionals www.schoolfoodmatters.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Education%20letter%202022.pdf

It didn't.

Child poverty is at 30%, free school meal provision 22.5%, so there are children going hungry and this situation will only get worse with the cost of living crisis.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/heads-deeply-disappointed-lack-free-school-meal-extension

Don't worry about MPs going hungry though, with their subsidised restaurants and generous food allowance.

www.opendemocracy.net/en/food-poverty-parliament-mps-taxpayers-cost-of-living-subsidies/?saved

"Taxpayers have forked out £17m to subsidise bars and restaurants in the House of Commons over just three years, openDemocracy can reveal.

MPs have enjoyed cut-price meals, with the average cost of food in the Members’ Dining Room reduced by more than £1 between 2018 and 2021.

In fact, politicians could have a full three-course meal at the restaurant for as little as £10.41 last year."

Anyone else think that money could be better spent elsewhere?

Agreed badger and often very expensive Juicy tracksuit bottoms of acrylic nails. How on earth do you choose these things over food for your children?

It is neglect. We have food, tons of it - it just needs to be collected and yet somehow they don't or won't and so expect schools to feed their children instead. SS should be informed.

It's not the Government's responsibility to feed kids

It is astonishing that people are willing to openly say they are happy for kids to go hungry.

*or acrylic nails

It is astonishing that people are willing to openly say they are happy for kids to go hungry

But they are not hungry that is what food banks are for.

So everyone who is entitled to can use the food bank but you're calling in to question those user's entitlement to the food because of the car they drive? Which is it? Does the car they drive nullify their entitlement?
Or are you saying you should get to choose who is entitled based upon the car they drive?
And I don't know what food bank you work for but I'm yet to see anyone at the supermarket checking my financial status as I pop my donations in their collection box .... or at the bank itself when I drop off xmas donations.
Someone with your views should not have access to vulnerable people

Someone who claims to work for a food bank and doesn’t understand the referral system.

The solution is easy.

Keep voting Tory to keep these wonderful people in office.

Next you’ll be telling us they should save on fuel by eating their carrots raw …

But they are not hungry that is what food banks are for.

So it's not the government's responsibility to feed kids, it's those who donate to food banks?

What if there aren't enough people donating to food banks, what then?

😂😂😂

I read yesterday that the NHS petrol allowance doesn't cover costs anymore. So healthcare workers doing home visits are having to cover the difference out of their own pockets.

But It's just common practice to subsidise a nice bottle of red for an MP who also has a fully funded flat round the corner.

Fucking disgusting.

Someone with your views should not have access to vulnerable people

If they did, they wouldn't be spouting nonsense.

Assuming that parents claiming UC will let their children go hungry is pretty insulting, to be honest.

Most of them parent perfectly adequately.

You are so contemptuous of people of UC and trot out the BS comments about them having flat screen tvs and booze and fags.

I think you are just a bigot. And you should not be working at a food bank, I hope you are lying about that. It's embarrassing to be on UC, after a lifetime of not needing it, and to have FSM - I'm sure your attitude shines through and makes your clients feel worse. I always wonder if people look down on me for having food vouchers (at Aldi). I only buy food with them. Not booze or clothes or fripperies. Glad to have it confirmed that is the case. Most of the time I eat cereal and just cook meals for my kids.

I use my car as little as possible - it's a 10 yr old basic one. Hope that meets your approval.

Will the real Sophie Corcoran please stand up.

I hope so, but people don't surprise me anymore.

Staring poverty and suffering in the face and arguing about why you shouldn't intervene and in fact why you should actively make it worse by taking help away is a view far too many on this thread are comfortable expressing.

The tories have done a brilliant job of resurrecting the Victorian notion of deserving and undeserving poor...

JRM would just love to bring back workhouses...seems some on this thread agree.

"However, the intensifying cost of living crisis means many more are now struggling to afford school lunches. We are seeing children falling into school meal debt, and there is a serious threat to take-up of school meals and the viability of the catering service, not to mention risking the health and wellbeing of our pupils. We see the devastating reality of children coming to school unable to afford to buy lunch, because their family circumstances mean they fall outside the restrictive free school meal eligibility criteria. The Food Foundation’s latest data indicate an estimated 2.6 million children live in households that missed meals or struggled to access healthy food during April. Excluding so many vulnerable children is a real barrier to learning and must be urgently addressed."

Hmm, who to believe, some internet random, or people actually working on the front line?

She was busy setting up sock accounts to agree with herself on twitter last I heard.

@noblegiraffe & @Jakeyachey I wasn't saying anything you'd said was disgusting, I meant the situation that MPs think it's ok is disgusting

Someone with your views should not have access to vulnerable people

Who do you think comes to foodbanks exactly? Have you ever even been to one? They are not vulnerable - 99% of them are people just like you and me and have fallen on hard times. They would be most offended to be called 'vulnerable'. I don't think you should ever call them that. The truly vulnerable we do not tend to see because ss is in place. We see mostly every day families.

What if there aren't enough people donating to food banks, what then?

We have never run out of food yet!! We did see a slight decline when people donated to Ukraine instead at the beginning of the war, we are back up to normal levels. You could do your bit and help out noble

In the 21st century, in a developed country, people should not have to rely on food banks to feed their children.

The government hands out billions in contracts, with little to no scrutiny, to companies connected to Conservative party donors, friends and spouses. That money has effectively been written off. That’s all fine but the idea that some woman has gel nails paid for by the taxpayer and let the frothing commence.

@Somanymistakes please don't think that. It's no one's business how you pay for your groceries, and if people are judging you that's on them.
Who are they to judge? Just because circumstances dealt them better choices.

Channelling Sybil Birling too.

Anyone want to move on to that scourge of society - 'gymslip mums' next??