SCHOOL MEALS AN ISSUE: REBECCA Blake, the Labour candidate for the Redditch constituency parliamentary seat, has hit out at plans by the Conservative Party to scrap free school dinners.
Her comments come after analysis by Labour showed the decision would leave families of infant children £450 worse off every year nationwide.
Her findings show that in Redditch around 3,000 children will no longer be eligible for free school meals under the new system.
Ms Blake, who lives in Redditch and was brought up here, said: “The fact that working families, already facing falling real wages under the Conservatives, will need to find nearly £450 a year to pay the Conservatives’ lunch tax shows that Theresa May’s party have no plans to help those who are just about managing.
“I will stand up for working families on universal free school meals, scrapping tuition fees to a real living wage of £10 an hour. Redditch families deserve a better deal than what they are getting now and if I am elected to be the MP for our constituency these are the sorts of improvements I will work to deliver.
“Labour will ensure every school child, whatever their background and aged up to 11 years, receives a hot and healthy meal during the school day, by introducing universal free school meals for every primary aged school child.”
