End Child Poverty

End Child Food Poverty

‘The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.’

This is part of the preamble to the constitution of the Liberal Democrats and the reason so many of us were angry this week when MPs at Westminster voted not to offer free school meals to vulnerable children during the school holidays. Andrew said, ‘As a recipient of free school meals when I was younger, I know what a difference it made to my mum, who was struggling to raise three kids on her own’. Jos added, ‘It’s truly shocking that in the 21st century, we still have millions of children living in food poverty’. Following the vote in Parliament, the Bristol Liberal Democrats wrote to Mayor Marvin Rees imploring him to explore the possibility of Bristol City Council paying for free school meals for poorer families instead. Many local councils around the country have already stepped forward to stop child holiday hunger by funding free school meals themselves, including Kensington & Chelsea, Wigan, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Redbridge, Southwark, Rochdale, Royal Greenwich, Portsmouth and many more. Bristol has 10,835 school children who are eligible for free school meals.

We want to stop them from going hungry over the holidays and if the government refuses to uphold its moral obligation to feed hungry children, the Bristol Lib Dems believe the duty falls to the Council.

Cllr. Tim Kent, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Education and Councillor for Hengrove

“Dear Mayor Rees,

& Whitchurch Park wrote, 6

I am sure you share my disappointment in the Government and their voting down of the reasonable proposal that children entitled to free school meals should continue to receive a free school meal over the holidays during the pandemic. We are all aware of the issue of child poverty, including food poverty, and although food poverty amongst children is unfortunately not new the pandemic has made the crisis much worse.

It is an absolute travesty for children to go hungry, on any day of the year. The absence of any support equivalent to free school meals in the holidays is a long overlooked anomaly, and now families face the threat of future lockdowns too. The government spent £100M’s on the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August - which many people took advantage of. But the far lower cost of feeding our most vulnerable has been shirked.

I know some local councils are considering All the best, Tim Kent stepping in. We have over 10,000 children Lib Dem Education Spokesperson” who receive free school meals in our city - we should not let them be punished by a Govern- Rather than wait for the Council to respond, ment more interested in political fights rather many local businesses have taken it upon than doing the right thing. themselves to provide free meals for children instead. Here in Brislington West the Lodekka I note that this policy of expanding free Pub on Bath Road and Crispin’s on Sandy school meals over the holidays is supported Park Road are both offering to help and we by the Child Food Poverty Task Force, sup- would like to express our sincere gratitude ported by Marcus Rashford and many leading for their generosity, especially as many in the food suppliers and producers. hospitality and catering sector have already had a difficult year. Ultimately though, the Can I ask you to urgently consider stepping responsibility for helping the poorest and in and pledging that Bristol City Council will most vulnerable in our society should fall on provide these free meals (or vouchers) over the government and not church groups, charithe holidays if the Government will not? ties and private businesses.

I hope you will consider this matter urgently and demonstrate to the Government what compassionate leadership looks like. By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429 & Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor Candidate (Brislington West) Email: andyvarney@hotmail.com Mobile:

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