About 900,000 children from struggling families will lose their right to free school lunches under a significant cut unveiled in the Tory manifesto.
The total includes more than 600,000 young children recently defined as coming from ‘ordinary working families’, according to analysis by the Education Policy Institute.
Stephen Morgan, Labour’s candidate for Portsmouth South, said:
“This is another example of the Tories saying one thing then doing something else. It is a heartless move which will punish families.
Tory proposals will cost families about £440 for every child hit by the cut. Families deserve better”.
The Education Policy Institute’s analysis found that about 100,000 children who are in relative poverty will no longer receive a free meal under Tory proposals. It found that an additional 667,000 children defined as coming from “ordinary working families” would no longer receive a free lunch.
Overall, its research concludes that about 900,000 children who are either eligible for the pupil premium supplement or classed as being in ordinary working families will lose the right to a free hot lunch.
Stephen added:
“Only Labour offer an alternative to a Tory government. We have pledged to extend the free school lunches policy to all primary school children.
We mustn’t let the Tories continue to let down hard working families”.
