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| Marcus Rashford: Food voucher U-turn after footballer's campaign | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| About 1.3 million children will get free school meal vouchers during the holidays, following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford. | About 1.3 million children will get free school meal vouchers during the holidays, following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford. |
| The Manchester United forward, 22, welcomed the six-week voucher for eligible children, saying: "Look at what we can do when we come together." | The Manchester United forward, 22, welcomed the six-week voucher for eligible children, saying: "Look at what we can do when we come together." |
| Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the move was a "welcome U-turn". | Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the move was a "welcome U-turn". |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Mr Rashford's "contribution to the debate around poverty". | Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Mr Rashford's "contribution to the debate around poverty". |
| All children eligible for free school meals in term time in England will benefit from the "Covid summer food fund", Downing Street said. | All children eligible for free school meals in term time in England will benefit from the "Covid summer food fund", Downing Street said. |
| The support works out as about £15 a week per recipient, and will cost about £120m. | The support works out as about £15 a week per recipient, and will cost about £120m. |
| BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said he was told this was "additional funding agreed by the Treasury". | |
| In an open letter to MPs posted on Monday, the Manchester United forward drew on his own experience of relying on free school meals and food banks growing up. | |
| The footballer had asked others to think about struggling parents who have had their "water turned off" during the coronavirus lockdown, and whose children have gone hungry. | The footballer had asked others to think about struggling parents who have had their "water turned off" during the coronavirus lockdown, and whose children have gone hungry. |
| Families whose children qualify for free meals have received vouchers or parcels in lockdown. | Families whose children qualify for free meals have received vouchers or parcels in lockdown. |
| While provision was already arranged to continue through the summer in Scotland and Wales, it was going to end in England at the end of term. | While provision was already arranged to continue through the summer in Scotland and Wales, it was going to end in England at the end of term. |
| Almost 1.3 million school children in England - accounting for 15.4% of state-educated pupils - were eligible for and claiming free school meals, according to the latest available data. | |
| Official figures for 2019 showed the need was greatest in parts of London, the north and Midlands where between a quarter and a third of all pupils were getting the free meals. | Official figures for 2019 showed the need was greatest in parts of London, the north and Midlands where between a quarter and a third of all pupils were getting the free meals. |
| The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Owing to the coronavirus pandemic the prime minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer. | |
| "To reflect this we will be providing a Covid summer food fund. This will provide food vouchers covering the six-week holiday period." | |
| He added the measure was a response to the "unique circumstances of the pandemic" and would not continue beyond the summer. Those eligible will be children who already qualify for free school meals. | |
| Referring to Mr Rashford, he added: "The PM welcomes his contribution to the debate around poverty and respects the fact that he has been using his profile as a leading sportsman to highlight important issues." | Referring to Mr Rashford, he added: "The PM welcomes his contribution to the debate around poverty and respects the fact that he has been using his profile as a leading sportsman to highlight important issues." |
| As a striker with a killer instinct in front of goal, Marcus Rashford is used to beating defences. | |
| And he's cut straight through a nervous defensive wall of Conservative ministers - leaving them wrong-footed and facing an embarrassing own goal. | |
| A number of Tory MPs had already voiced their disquiet - and how many of them really wanted to find themselves up against an England football hero, and the risk of children going hungry? | |
| The U-turn means the government will pay the extra £120m to extend free school meal vouchers across the six weeks of the holidays, available to 1.3 million children. | |
| It's a one-off deal for the unprecedented pressure caused by the coronavirus - with food banks warning of growing demands. | |
| But Rashford, and his 2.7 million Twitter followers, proved a tough target for the government - and he's beaten them with a fast-footed appeal directly to public opinion. | |
| MPs had been preparing to debate the issue of free school meals ending, in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. | |
| Tory MP Tim Loughton said he was "delighted" the government had "listened to Conservative backbenchers" - and opposition parties also welcomed the move. | |
| The children's commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said she was pleased ministers had "seen sense and changed their minds". | |
| Ms Longfield, who wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak about the issue last week, added: "Free school meals are the last line of defence against poverty and hunger for many families." | |
| Does you child qualify for free school meals? Will the vouchers help your family? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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