FOOTIE ace Marcus Rashford has forced Boris Johnson to u-turn and provide £15 a week free school meals vouchers for poor kids during the summer holidays.
After mounting pressure from Tory MPs and celebrities, the Government revealed it would fund the scheme after all, despite saying it would not carry on over the summer.
Parents who are eligible will be allowed to claim £15 a week for help with meals for their kids – where they would usually be getting hot dinners at school.
A one off six-week voucher will be dished out for families to use in supermarkets.
The PM’s spokesperson said today that the Government would run a Covid food fund throughout the summer.
He said: “The PM welcomed Marcus Rashford’s contribution to the debate around poverty and I said he would be responding as soon as possible.
“Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the PM fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer.
“To to reflect this, we will be providing a Covid summer food fund.
“This will provide food vouchers covering the six week holiday period.
“This was a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
“The scheme will not continue beyond the summer and those eligible will be those who already qualify for free school meals.”
Boris told the Cabinet this morning the news – which will cost £120million in extra funding.
Ministers have said they will continue with plans to put an additional £63million of money into local authorities to help those who can’t afford basic essentials.
The u-turn came after several Tory MPs teamed up with Labour to demand change.
The Government do not usually fund the scheme during the holidays – but had done so over the Easter and half-term break during the coronavirus pandemic.
The scheme will help 1.3million kids to get meals over the holidays.
It came after Tory cabinet minister Therese Coffey was slammed for her ‘shameful’ response to Marcus Rashford online.
And Piers Morgan told the Health Secretary to “do your bit” and help poor kids who need it.
Writing in The Times today, the England striker said: “Today I focus on a trophy that stands for something much bigger than football.
“A U-turn on the decision to stop the free food voucher scheme continuing over the summer holidays could help us reach the next round but we still have a very long way to go as a country to eventually lift the trophy.
“In this case, the trophy is combating child poverty.
“I don’t claim to have the education of an MP in parliament, but I do have a social education.
“I am clued up on the difference a U-turn decision would make on the 1.3 million vulnerable children across the UK who are registered for free school meals because 10 years ago I was one of them.”
He wrote an impassioned letter to the PM and Boris Johnson urging them to make a change.
