Child poverty is a stain on our society.
Children growing up knowing there’s not enough to go around, not being able to heat the house, being denied the things most families should be able to take for granted.
And children aren’t oblivious to the struggle. It shapes them, for better and for worse, into the adults they become
But under the Conservatives too many children were plunged into hardship – 900,000 more children in poverty as they left government. That’s not something Labour is willing to allow.
That is why I am proud to say that, as part of our Plan for Change, Labour is extending free school meals to children with a parent in receipt of universal credit.
Every toddler in pre-school, every child at school and every sixth former at college whose household is on universal credit, will get a free, nutritious lunch.
That’s over half a million more free lunches across England, on top of the 3 million already dished out every day – bringing the numbers up towards 4,660 here in Wycombe.
It’ll pull a full 100,000 children out of poverty entirely.
It’ll put a full £500 back in parents’ pockets, and remove one significant financial worry.
And it’ll give every child that needs it a full belly come dinner time, giving them a better chance to succeed, and a better chance to get on.
It’s a game changer for every hard working mum and dad who just want to do a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay and be able to provide for their family.
It’s Labour’s Plan for Change in action. Don’t get me wrong, you know as well as I do that more still needs to be done. That’s why we’re getting on with our free breakfast clubs, 750 already up and running, another £450 saving.
Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill going through parliament will bring down the cost of school uniforms, another £50 saving.
Labour’s massive expansion in government funded childcare hours to 30 a week comes into effect from September, another £7,500 saving.
And Labour’s child poverty strategy later this year will take us even further in tackling the stain of child poverty across the country.
Working families across Wycombe are doing their best to provide for their families, working all hours to give their children the very best start. At last, they have a government on their side – a Labour government.
Better lives for working people. Opportunity for children to thrive no matter their background. Those are our driving forces, and that’s the change we’re delivering.