Support the call for free school meals

The coronavirus pandemic has brought new focus on the issue of child hunger, but this is a not a new problem. The absence of any support equivalent to free school meals in the holidays is a long overlooked problem. Now families have the added worry of how they will access school meals during lockdowns too.

It is an absolute travesty for children to go hungry, on any day of the year.

Following last night's vote in the House of Commons where all five Wiltshire Conservative MP's voted against a move to allow for free school meals over the Christmas period. Local MP Andre Murrison, along with colleagues voted with the government against extending free school meals over the Christmas Holiday. This was in the face of over a quarter of a million people who had signed Marcus Rashford's petition asking that the government do what they did over the summer.

In contrast the Lib Dems in Wales have secured free school meals and Lib Dems alongside Marcus Rashford's campaign and other groups nationally are calling for

• Free school meals to every pupil whose parents or guardians are in receipt of Universal Credit
• Food vouchers for every one of those pupils in every school holiday and during any period of lockdown
• Free school meals to pupils from low-income families whose parents or guardians have no recourse to public funds and destitute asylum seekers

Sign the petition https://www.libdems.org.uk/meals