Government forced into embarassing 'U' turn

Amid claims of being parsimonious and skinflint, the scumbag 'nasty party' have been embarassed and forced into a policy 'U' turn (wasn't it that evil witch Thatcher [phth, phth, phth] who once said "this lady's not for turning) and are now set to feed all the school children during the summer holidays.


Boris Johnson news – live: PM U-turns over free school meals after Marcus Rashford’s campaign, as more than 600,000 workers drop off payrolls
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Boris Johnson has reversed the decision to end free school meal vouchers next month. Following intense campaigning by Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, No 10 announced the major U-turn and said vouchers would be available for families over the holiday.

It comes as new figures show number of UK workers on payrolls fell by more than 600,000 in the early days of the coronavirus lockdown. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said “difficult days would lie ahead” if the economy did not pick up soon.

Elsewhere, people across the political spectrum have paid tribute to Jo Cox, the Labour MP who was murdered in her constituency by a far right extremist on this day four years ago.

Key Points

• Government caves to pressure and and promises free vouchers over summer
• More than 600,000 workers fall off payroll in ONS data covering early lockdown
• 'Difficult days lie ahead' if economy does not pick up - minister says
• Jo Cox remembered on fourth anniversary of MP's murder
• Restaurant bosses warn more government action needed to protect businesses if social distancing not eased

Marcus Rashford celebrates after forcing Boris Johnson into U-turn over school meals

In the course of less than 48 hours Marcus Rashford has helped to shape government policy while ensuring thousands of children are fed.

Here is our sports news correspondent Jack de Menezes with more:


Marcus Rashford celebrates after forcing Boris Johnson into U-turn over school meals
England footballer hails the power people can possess ‘when they come together’ for the greater good as hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children will benefit through the summer thanks to his campaign
Plenty of reaction to the U-turn by the government. Many parents will be relieved that vital £15-per-child weekly vouchers will be available until the planned return on schools in September.

‘Just look what we can do when we come together’

Manchester United aand England star Marcus Rashford reacts to his victory on behalf of low-income families after the government’s stunning U-turn on free meal vouchers.

Government will provide free school meal vouchers in major U-turn

All pupils qualifying for free school meals in England will be given supermarket food vouchers to cover the six-week summer holiday,

It amounts to major government U-turn as Boris Johnson caved in to pressure from campaigners including football star Marcus Rashford.


Cabinet minister clashes with Marcus Rashford after she criticises his poverty claim

Our own Rob Merrick has more on Therese Coffey, the cabinet minister who has been accused of ignoring the substance of the argument footballer Marcus Rashford has put forward to continue free school meal vouchers through the summer.

No 10 has rejected the England striker’s call to pay for meal vouchers on the grounds that £63m is being handed to local councils in England to help the poor.

But discontent is growing among Tory MPs - leading some to predict the government may be forced to make some concessions on the matter.




Cabinet minister clashes with Marcus Rashford after she criticises his poverty claim
Thérèse Coffey tackles footballer over free meals campaign - as senior Conservatives join growing revolt to force Boris Johnson into U-turn

• Vincent Wood
• 16 June 2020 10:20

3 hours ago
'It's basic. Feed the kids.'

The opposition on ending school meal vouchers during the summer is growing - now former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davison, who remains an incredibly popular force in the party across the UK, has told her colleagues to resolve food security issues.

Acknowledging the local authority (LA) funding put in place, she said she was baffled by the arguments of her Westminster (WM) colleagues.

 

Good stuff,, alot of people definitely need all the help they can get in these crazy times.

 

Yes, but it shouldn't have been necessary to launch such a large publicity campaign in the first place, those evil bastards in the 'nasty party' should have done it as a matter of course.

 

100% agree with you

 

KATIE HOPKINS: A worthy winner of the Campaign Unify the Nation Trophy

 

..... And the relevance to the 'Free School meals' project ???

 

Seems the scumbags in the 'nasty party', through their own incompetence are creating havoc in the implementation of the 'free school meals' summer project.


Free school meal vouchers scheme in trouble as key supermarkets excluded, MPs warn
Gavin Williamson under fire again as Aldi, Lidl and Co-op shut out - despite being stores that poorer families 'rely on'


The free school meal vouchers scheme is in trouble even after Boris Johnson’s U-turn, MPs are warning – because key supermarkets have been excluded.

Lidl and the Co-op – very often the stores that poorer families “rely on” – cannot accept the vouchers and many independent stores have also been left out. Aldi was also excluded originally, but has now joined the programme.

Co-op has accused Gavin Williamson, the under-fire education secretary, of another blunder by failing on a promise to ensure schools are refunded if they use its alternative scheme.

“The current implementation of the Covid-19 voucher scheme for children in receipt of free school meals is not working,” Co-op’s chief executive has protested.

Now the Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee has given ministers until next Tuesday to act – accusing them of being “slow to remedy problems”.

The vouchers are available during term-time and will now be offered through the summer, after footballer Marcus Rashford forced the prime minister into his humbling U-turn.

“Questions about how the voucher scheme works need to be rapidly resolved,” said Neil Parish, the committee’s Conservative chair.

“Although initial teething problems with the scheme were understandable given the speed with which it was set up, retailers have raised very valid concerns about the shops that many families rely on being excluded from the scheme.

“It has now been months since schools first closed and many families will be relying on these vouchers to help feed their children over the summer. We hope that the government will address our concerns with the urgency required.”


The issue of some supermarkets being excluded from the scheme was raised with the education as far back as 29 April.

He promised schools “will be fully reimbursed and fully refunded” if they bought vouchers from other stores, telling MPs: “We need to give schools the flexibility to do that.”

But, in a letter released by the committee, Jo Whitfield, Co-op’s chief executive says this has not happened, writing: “Many schools have told us that the Co-op Group has been the only reasonable choice for their families during the pandemic.

“It is only right that those schools should be compensated in full if they purchase vouchers directly from the Co-op.”

The British Retail Consortium and Association of Convenience Stores have also raised concerns that major chains have been shut out of the voucher scheme.

Worth £15-a-week per child, it is designed to compensate for most children not being in school and therefore missing out on what, in some cases, is their only reliable meal of the day.

The families of about 1.3 million children in England are eligible, but many more in poverty will miss out and will continue to go hungry over the holidays, campaigners are warning.

 

I don't listen to neo-frascists !!!

 

She is my new favourite you tuber, very funny

 

Hardly surprising, racists and neo fascists together !!!

 

What the hell are you on about now? Man that gets old. Someones a racist now for telling parents, meh, yeah maybe you are responsible for your own kids nutrition