Milton Keynes MPs vote against free school meals

Last night, local MPs Ben Everitt and Iain Stewart voted against plans to extend free school meals for children during the school holidays.

The Labour motion to extend free school meals during holidays, up to Easter 2021, was voted down by 322 votes to 261.

Milton Keynes Liberal Democrats say this goes against everything they and the Council have been fighting for.

Last year, the Lib Dems called for the local Child Poverty Commission to be set up, as well as securing £25,000 in the 2020/21 budget that went towards young people in need receiving lunches over the summer.

Councillor Jane Carr, who chairs the Milton Keynes Council Children & Young People Scrutiny Committee, said: "In a report published just this year, the MK Community Foundation found that an estimated 10,900 (17.7%) of children are living in poverty, and some areas of Milton Keynes show child poverty rates as high as 32%. This is only going to get worse as more people lose their jobs and families struggle to get by."

The Newport Pagnell South councillor concluded: "This is a very sad day for the country, and for Milton Keynes. Our MPs should have voted to help struggling families, not make their lives harder."