Boris Johnson talk about Kids’ school meals and reply to Marcus Rashford

Boris Johnson changes his mind on the kids' school meals and Matt Hancock suggested investing more money over the Christmas holidays.

After facing the numerous pressures of the public, Boris Johnson is rumored to be planning a partial U-turn over kids’ free school meals. In an interview to the Times microphones, his allies assured that the Prime Minister could increased funding for the poorest family so as to ensure food and hot meals in particular to children during the holidays.

Boris Johnson talk about school meals

However, the half term is already started and any U-turn would be too late. Moreover, it’s not clear how much the bonus provived by the new scheme will be.

This decision comes after many protests and even Conservative MPs have started to change their mind after they were bombarded with complaints about refusing to back Marcus Rashford’s campaign.

Today the Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to confirm or deny plans to increase funding for the poorest families.

Instead, he insisted on £63m fund announced in June for councils because, according to him, they could be used to help those struggling to buy food. Moreover, Mr Hancock added councils “often know better” about how to target money at the neediest and he too wanted to prevent childeren from starving.

But the £63m council fund and the free school meals fund are not the same and many critics say it is not enough. However Matt Hancock refused to budge on pleas to extend £15 free school meal vouchers over half-term this week.

With local councils and businesses pledging free food for children in need this week, support for Rashford’s petition has passed 800,000 signatures. Many town halls, including a number of Tory councils are providing food vouchers to those in need.

Kensington and Chelsea were announcing that 3,300 young people would receive £15 vouchers from their schools to cover the cost of meals during the holiday.

The Labour leader of Birmingham City Council undertook to provide 61,000 youngsters with meals in a way which will cost the local authority between £800,000 and £1 million.

Coventry City Council said it was supporting the Coventry Food Network, made up of food banks and social supermarkets, to help and feed disadvantaged children in the city.

Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) said it would provide free school meal vouchers to eligible children using the money received from the central government and provided to NCC for Covid-19-related costs, which includes support for children.