Much to the dismay of Marcus Rashford, a Manchester United footballer who also faced poverty in his youth. He sent an open letter to the British Government calling for it to reconsider that decision. “No child should go to sleep hungry,” he wrote at the time. The British Government eventually tied in.
Last Wednesday, opposition Labor party filed a motion in the British Parliament to extend the meal voucher scheme during school holidays until Easter next year. The corona crisis and the loss of jobs have left many vulnerable families struggling, the reasoning goes.
According to Labor, more than 1.4 million children in the United Kingdom are using the free school meals. Also during the coming October holiday (October half term it is called there, comparable to the autumn holidays here) and during the Christmas holidays underprivileged children could then receive free school meals. However, the motion was voted down by a clear majority in parliament.
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