Liberal Democrat Councillors Douglas McCall and Jane Carr have written to Milton Keynes MPs Ben Everitt and Iain Stewart expressing their sadness and disappointment over their decision to vote against extending free school meals back in October.

You can download a copy of the letter by clicking this link.

Though the government have since U-turned on this, investing in the Covid Winter Grant Scheme and extending the Holiday Activities and Food programme to the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays next year, this is only a temporary solution.

The open letter urges the MPs to support the Liberal Democrat campaign which is calling for:

1. Free school meals to every pupil whose parents or guardians are in receipt of Universal Credit
2. Food vouchers for every one of those pupils in every school holiday and during any period of lockdown
3. Free school meals to pupils from low-income families whose parents or guardians have no recourse to public funds and destitute asylum seekers under s4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Councillor Jane Carr said: “Although the government’s decision to U-turn was welcome news, we need a permanent solution to child hunger over all holidays.”

That is why we have written to our MPs; in the hope they will support the Liberal Democrat Free School Meals campaign. We will also be bringing a motion on this to Full Council, asking the Cabinet to lobby the government for the same thing.”

Councillor Douglas McCall concluded: “No child should go hungry, on any day of the year. We hope our MPs would agree, and will do everything they can to prevent this.”