Rishi Sunak accused of ‘parking the Treasury bus’ to block Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign

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RISHI Sunak was yesterday accused of “parking the Treasury bus” to block Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign.

The Chancellor held firm as the England striker piled mounting pressure on the ­Government to cave in to his £20million demand.

Rishi Sunak was accused of ‘parking the Treasury bus’ to block Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign

The England striker piled mounting pressure on the ­Government to cave in to his £20million demand

Amid growing concern in Tory ranks, Mr Sunak said he would not stump up the cash to feed 1.4million deprived kids outside term-time.

Jittery backbench MPs began voicing worries as the Man United star’s campaign was backed by 100 councils, restaurants and more than 760,000 people who signed a petition.

One senior Tory warned the row could soon become a “poll tax moment” for PM Boris Johnson, referring to the policy which led to Margaret Thatcher’s downfall.

And a Cabinet minister said: “No 10 and Treasury policy advisers are standing firm.

“But they don’t have to go back to face angry voters in their constituencies every weekend.”

The PM and his Chancellor gave in to Rashford’s last free meals campaign in June, later rewarding him with an MBE.

But they believe these demands go too far and one source said: “We can’t have a 22-year-old footballer dictating government policy.”

All efforts to neutralise the row have failed and party officials are concerned the Rashford bandwagon is gaining momentum.

There was widespread anger directed at 300 Tory MPs who blocked a motion to extend free school meals outside term-time up to next Easter.

ROW INFLAMED

Two MPs who tried to explain their reason for opposing the campaign succeeded only in inflaming the row.

Selaine Saxby hinted in a Facebook post that hospitality firms dishing out food should not get government help despite being battered by the pandemic.

And Ben Bradley was accused of a “stigmatisation of work-ing class families” with a tweet suggesting cash went to “crack dens and brothels”.

Both MPs have been roundly criticised, with Mr Bradley called on to apologise, while some said Ms Saxby should resign. Yesterday new Tory MPs bombarded a private WhatsApp group with messages of dismay.

One wrote: “What happens if you have a small majority and the number of angry letters and emails you have received are enough to cost you your seat?”

Rashford has told politicians to “stop stigmatising, judging and pointing fingers” and warned a “significant number” of kids will go to bed hungry and “feeling like they do not matter”.

He called on people to “unite” to protect the most vulnerable children.

Marcus Rashford with his mum at FareShare, Greater Manchester

Rashford has raised £20million for food charity FareShare

The footballer called the abuse some MPs received “unacceptable”.

He said: “As a Premier League player, I know all too well what that feels like. We’re all bigger than that.”

Meanwhile, Leeds United captain Liam Cooper pledged £25,000 on behalf of the club’s squad, declaring: “No children should ever go hungry.”

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