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Michael Gove and David Laws 'not at war' on school meals Nick Clegg claims coalition unity on free school meals policy
(about 9 hours later)
Education Secretary Michael Gove and Lib Dem schools minister David Laws have moved to quash talk of a rift between them over free school lunches. Nick Clegg has said ministers are at one over plans to give all pupils under seven in England free school meals.
Penning a joint article in the Times newspaper, they said providing free meals for pupils under seven had "true cross-party support". It came after Education Secretary Michael Gove and Lib Dem schools minister David Laws declared they were "not at war" over the policy after numerous reports of a rift.
It comes after leaked emails suggested coalition tensions over funding. Penning a joint article in the Times newspaper, they said the policy had "true cross-party support".
The two parties have also clashed over free schools - with a former adviser to Mr Gove criticising Nick Clegg. The deputy PM did not deny reports that he had told them to write it.
According to one report, the Lib Dem leader insisted on the joint article after an episode of briefing and counter-briefing between his party and the Conservatives over education policy. Pressed on whether he had ordered the article to be written, Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Of course I want the government in support of a policy that I think is going to make a dramatic difference.
However, a senior Lib Dem source told the BBC the piece had been the men's own idea, because "without doubt things could have spiralled out of control". "It's going to save families a lot of money. Every family that has to pay for a school meal for their children is paying about £400 a year."
Recently leaked emails have suggested coalition tensions over funding for school meals, after a former adviser to Mr Gove, Dominic Cummings, criticised the idea as "dumb" and a "bad gimmick".
But the Lib Dem leader said the former adviser had been "wrong" to say the free school meals policy had been put together "on the back of a fag packet".
"We've actually been piloting this for many years," he said.
"The first pilots in Durham and Newham and elsewhere show that not only does it save families money, it has a dramatic educational impact, particularly on children who are poorer and not receiving free school meals at the moment.
"It also has a very significant social impact, because it gets children sharing lunch together during the middle of the school day."
'Last survivors''Last survivors'
In the article, Mr Gove and Mr Laws wrote: "To judge from the latest breathless headlines, you might expect the two of us to be crouched under our desks like the last survivors in a Bruce Willis movie, only popping out occasionally to blast each other with shotguns."In the article, Mr Gove and Mr Laws wrote: "To judge from the latest breathless headlines, you might expect the two of us to be crouched under our desks like the last survivors in a Bruce Willis movie, only popping out occasionally to blast each other with shotguns."
They said the reality of politics was "a lot more prosaic than some like to suggest", adding that, on free school meals, "This is that rarest of political treasures: a policy that has true cross-party support."They said the reality of politics was "a lot more prosaic than some like to suggest", adding that, on free school meals, "This is that rarest of political treasures: a policy that has true cross-party support."
From September, all Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children in state-funded schools in England will be entitled to free school meals under the scheme announced by Mr Clegg last autumn.From September, all Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children in state-funded schools in England will be entitled to free school meals under the scheme announced by Mr Clegg last autumn.
But leaked emails made public earlier this month revealed that senior officials in the Department for Education had warned that funding the change could mean cutting school places.But leaked emails made public earlier this month revealed that senior officials in the Department for Education had warned that funding the change could mean cutting school places.
'Pathetic''Pathetic'
In their article, Mr Gove and Mr Laws acknowledged implementing the policy on time would be difficult.In their article, Mr Gove and Mr Laws acknowledged implementing the policy on time would be difficult.
"Some schools will find it easier than others to expand catering services, but at present the overwhelming majority seem to be on track and we are confident the policy will be delivered on time and on budget," they wrote."Some schools will find it easier than others to expand catering services, but at present the overwhelming majority seem to be on track and we are confident the policy will be delivered on time and on budget," they wrote.
Over the weekend senior Conservative and Lib Dem sources strongly criticised each other over education.Over the weekend senior Conservative and Lib Dem sources strongly criticised each other over education.
Mr Gove was accused of being "ideologically obsessed," while Conservatives said the Liberal Democrats were "pathetic."Mr Gove was accused of being "ideologically obsessed," while Conservatives said the Liberal Democrats were "pathetic."
But on Wednesday a source close to the Conservative education secretary said "it was time to move on".But on Wednesday a source close to the Conservative education secretary said "it was time to move on".