Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency, has given his full support to the party’s plan for free school meals for children in poverty, across both primary and secondary schools. Those at the primary stage would benefit first.
Tom said:
This new policy will make the Liberal Democrats the most ambitious party on free school meals.
At the moment, only children in reception and years 1 and 2 are provided with meals, but those in years 3 to 6 are only eligible on a strict means test basis.
We want to provide all primary school children with a daily free, nutritious, meal.
The party will fund this manifesto commitment by introducing a share-buyback tax, on the lines of similar legislation successfully introduced by President Biden in the US. Calculated to raise about £1.4 billion a year, the tax would be aimed at oil and gas giants, banks and large companies which use excessive profits to boost their own share prices, at the detriment of productive investment in the economy.
At the moment, there are approximately 23,000 primary schoolchildren in the constituency, of which some 2,800 are eligible. This amounts to 12%, far below the national figure of 22.5%. But many more would be eligible if the means test was less rigorous.
Tom Gordon said:
Far better to provide free meals to all 23,000 – too many children are expected to learn, with no guarantee of a hot meal when they get home.
Every child should have access to a nutritious meal.
Poorer families tend to be restricted to unhealthy food options and experience worse physical and mental health as a result. Conservative MPs should ashamed at their legacy of children going hungry in the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
