Labour launches Holidays Without Hunger campaign

Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long Bailey has launched a Holidays Without Hunger campaign asking for the government to continue the voucher scheme or fund free school meals over the six-week summer holiday.

Earlier this month, the government said that it would not continue the  scheme during the summer holidays.

Rebecca Long Bailey said: “Parents should not be forced to decide whether to feed themselves or their children over the upcoming summer holidays, when the government could easily continue providing free school meals.

“We know that the time spent away from school will have widened inequalities between children further and disadvantaged children need more support than ever during this pandemic.

“The government has repeatedly said it will do ‘whatever it takes’ to help our economy through this crisis. The same should apply to children who are at risk of going hungry for six weeks this summer.”

The campaign says: "Since schools closed because of the crisis, a voucher scheme has made sure these children don’t go hungry. Now, the Government is planning to take these vouchers away.

"We’re calling on the Government to make sure no child goes hungry this summer by funding Free School Meals.

"In the long-term we need to tackle the causes of child poverty. Right now, we need the Government to step up and make sure the 1.3 million kids don’t go hungry this summer."