Senior Labour councillor slams Victoria Prentis for free school meals vote

22/10/2020

“our Member of Parliament has chosen to prioritise this incompetent government over children who are going hungry”

A senior local Labour councillor has slammed Banbury’s MP after a vote calling on the Government to fund free school meals throughout the holiday was rejected by Parliament.

Councillor Sean Woodcock has spoken out after a vote on the issue was rejected by 322 votes to 261.   Banbury’s MP Victoria Prentis was amongst those voting against.

Labour had called on the government to extend free school meals in the school holidays, including the upcoming October half term and Christmas, as part of a Labour campaign to ensure that no child goes hungry during the coronavirus pandemic.

They had previously given Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak 72 hours to change their position and provide this support.   With the deadline expired, the Party forced a Commons vote on the issue.

The Labour Party says that in Banbury and Bicester constituency, 2,092 children are at risk of going hungry over the holidays as the government withdraws support for the provision of free school meals.  They say the October half term comes as millions of families face a furlough cliff-edge that could see jobs across the country at risk, at the same time as millions of families face tighter restrictions.

Councillor Sean Woodcock, Leader of the Labour group said: “Millions of families face the prospect of losing their livelihoods because the government has lost control of the virus.  It’s sink-or-swim plans for support could leave more than one million children at risk of going hungry over the school holidays including thousands in North Oxfordshire.

“Now is the time to act. But our Member of Parliament has chosen to prioritise this incompetent government over children who are going hungry.”

We have contacted Mrs Prentis for a response.


Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam

Reader's opinions
  1. Samantha wasilewski   On   25/10/2020 at 11:55 am

    The Tories should be ashamed of yourselves giving yourselves a pay rise and subsides meals and alcohol in the House of Parliament, Victoria prentiss you should hang your head in shame for letting down the children of your constituency .

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