To want everyone to know the names of the MPs who voted against feeding hungry children?

[WrongKindOfFace]

Remember Marcus Rashford and his campaign to extend free school meals? Yesterday all but a handful of Tory MPs voted against extending free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021. You can see if your MP is amongst them here: votes.parliament.uk/Votes/Commons/Division/896#noes

Whatever your thoughts on what parents should be doing some children are going to go hungry. Why punish the children because of the sins of the parent? And remember most people on benefits are in work.

Plus there is a bloody pandemic. We’re in unprecedented times. People who were just about managing are now on the bones of their arse.

We have billions to spaff up the wall on a useless test and trace system, or useless Ppe but we can’t feed a few hungry kids. And le’t not forget that the MPs voting against this get subsidised meals and can claim for their food on expenses.

'Also, to me its not about everyone getting them, its about those in lockdown who can't work, only getting 90% (if that) of their wages.'

Yes those in tier 2 and tier 3 areas should. It should purely be for those on reduced wages.

Maybe the councils in those areas could use some of the millions they've been given to subsidise it?

"Oh but it's parents responsibility to feed their children"
I agree.
Equally, though it's the MPs responsibility to feed themselves not for the the electorate to subsidise at a rate of £25 a day versus £2.50—£3 for a child. Likewise not our responsibility to subsidise their meals via their entertainment allowances.

All of the MPs around here voted against. Travesty.

@foxychox I set up a direct debit to the Trussell Trust at the beginning of lockdown, and also our local prep school parents' group has been doing monthly collections of food for the state school down the road that has a very high % of kids on FSM and putting together parcels to order (including things for kids with allergies which is hard to get through foodbanks). I know it's a bit "lady bountiful" but our MP voted no (he is total party line) and it makes me sick to look at his face and know that I have been donating food to other families in his constituency for months because they are really in the shit He doesn't even answer my letters anymore though I always put my address on and that I am in his constituency.

If there was money to be spent on free school meals, I'd rather it was spent on supporting people with or without kids who are suffering economic hardship.

Yet there was plenty of money to spend on Dido Harding's failed track and trace system, and plenty of money to spend on Pestfix to provide PPE - a firm as it's name implies deals with rodent infestation and hasn't a clue about PPE. So yes, there is money there all alright. Don't forget that this is Your money that is being wasted while some MPs are willing to see children go hungry.

Mine is a Labour MP and not surprised she voted yes. She is actually really very lovely and has helped me with a situation in the past.

Thanks goodness ours voted yes. Still it will not change the outcome.
We should get petitions to scrap their meals. Surely they can afford to buy a sandwich on their way in!

My MP is there as expected. Prick

@HartnellAvenue I know that. But no receipts or accountability? How many of their 'staff' are actually family members and how many already have a laptop and a phone. I was a teaching assistant providing zoom sessions and parental support during lockdown and managed fine without no extra £s. And past experience of the expenses scandal leads me to be pretty confident this has also been abused. Not just conservative MPs either.

My MP voted with the government as he happily stated on various tv appearances today, apparently because Labour’s motion yesterday was “designed to embarrass the government”.

Wonder if Jeremy prefers scum over what he gets called usually...

My (Welsh) Tory MP voted no. I'm still waiting for a response to my email asking him to explain why he voted against the bill he'd actually voted for a year earlier. Am tweeting regularly but he just doesn't give a fuck. Another thing to tweet him daily about.

Filthy man. I'm just glad the Welsh government will feed the hungry kids in his own constituency.

I also don’t agree with funding children’s meals during school holidays.

During lockdown when they would normally have been at school - yes that makes sense.
Other normal school holidays - no.

*Yes those in tier 2 and tier 3 areas should. It should purely be for those on reduced wages.

Maybe the councils in those areas could use some of the millions they've been given to subsidise it?*

They need to do something more with people and businesses in tier 2 certainly.

My council is using their funds to hire covid ambassadors at £12.78 an hour.

This disgusts me. What kind of a society are we where any political party thinks it's acceptable for children to go hungry? It should be an issue where there is a basic consensus beyond party politics.

Well done to the 5 Tory MPs who had the decency to vote for what they believed in. My MP is a govt minister and I can't see any point in yet another letter that won't be read or will get a cut and paste reply, but if I lived in one of the constituencies of those 5 (Eastbourne, Harlow, Colne Valley, Newton Abbot, Scunthorpe), I would certainly write and thank them for their integrity.

@ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes

Wait, it’s just an opposition party motion - it would lead to nothing and they couldn’t easily vote against the party whip

5 of them did.

I went to a very small primary school and well remember one of the ‘dinner ladies’, who used to keep a couple of puddings hidden in the kitchen. She would then sneak my little sister and I around to an out of bounds area and give them to us. We went to school hungry and spent all day hungry, due to neglect. That woman was a saint.

I know also, that before my daughter (SN and autistic) came to me, she suffered hunger because of her neglectful birth parents. She used to hide food in her room, because she wasn’t used to being fed regularly or being permitted to grab a yogurt or fruit, whenever she wanted.

It absolutely breaks my heart to think of children still going hungry, due to neglect or poverty. The government had an opportunity to help those children but instead say it’s up to the parents, not considering that many of those parents either can’t afford to or don’t actually care. I’m an atheist, but the story of Pontius Pilate springs to mind.

And do you know how little your household income needs to be to qualify for fsms now if you need universal credit? £7400 pa. On the old system it was something like £16000. There is something very wrong in this country.

@toomanypillows

My arsehole MP (Ben Bradley) was incredibly vocal about this on Twitter, so he was always going to vote against. His reason was that it makes people too dependent on govt for help.

But then he's a racist prick as well.

A few years ago he got into trouble for saying that "chavs ought to have vasectomies" to decrease the surplus population, so I suppose he does at least have convictions. Even though those convictions are heartless and abhorrent.

He prides himself on being "the first blue brick in the red wall" which may be a typo 😂😂

What a diamond in the rough

Problem is he’s speaking to the electorate that get off their backsides and vote and apparently, in his case, it’s the eugenic fanciers.

Any idea what the turnout is like in your area for elections? The silent electorate are the ones we need to mobilise. I suspect this past year will eek a few out next time.

ilovesooty yes and I wish they all had. I was just thinking about the context, didn’t even know if it was actually voting on a bill or what, hadn’t been following it

It's disgusting. Amazed my MP isn't on there. I don't think it's fair to say money is being wasted on PPE though.

Scum

Mine obviously busy that day and didn’t vote.

To the pp who asked about charities, Marcus Rashford is working with FareShare, which seems to have branches all over. I've just donated with a pointed message about my MP, which obviously she won't see, but it made me feel better.

As ever they are more concerned about party rivalry and game-playing than hunger.

Cannot believe that in a western society kids are going hungry.
Where is the safety net?
Why pick on kids if their parents are struggling?
This makes the working poor thing sound less shocking
Those MPs should be made to starve for a week, see how they get on.
Glad to say mine voted with Rashford

Where can we access MP expense claims, especially for meals? That would be some great factual information to share!