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Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
QUENTIN LETTS: So noble was the minister's school-meal pulpiteering, you'd think it was the abolition of slavery
During elections it is illegal for politicians to buy votes by handing out free food. That is called 'treating' the electors. But there is nothing to stop MPs doing similar outside election periods. Yesterday an education minister, Stephen Morgan, told the Commons that the Government would be giving away more school meals. This would 'break the unfair link between background and success'. It would also, as Labour MPs keenly noted, mean thousands of constituents' children would be receiving free nosebag. 'Vote Labour because we gave your little Jimmy free bowls of mince in the school canteen and you could spend the savings instead on lottery tickets and cans of Carlsberg.' Mr Morgan became so gripped by the nobility of the moment, he could have been hailing the abolition of slavery or the relief of Mafeking. Oh, purplest of passages. 'This is a Government who put children first. What we do for our children, we do for our country.' Free school lunches would restore to youngsters their 'birthright' of 'a loving home where no child lacks food or warmth'. My family home was beautifully loving but I have to say that my bedroom was a little parky in winter. Maybe I am due some counselling. Mr Morgan, who has the inky hairdo and lopsided insistence of an Epsom spiv, was soon pulpiteering against the Tories. They had not given away enough free food to the nation's Tiny Tims. He was disgusted by their wickedness. 'They robbed some 4.5million children of opportunity and hope, of life chances and of possibilities,' he cried. 'They failed to deliver for the next generation the ordinary hope that tomorrow will be better than today.' St Luke himself could not have laid claim to such virtue. On it went, great paragraphs about 'striving' and 'nourishment' and 'a moral mission with the child poverty strategy'. Achieving! Thriving! 'Today, we say enough is enough. Today, we begin to turn the tide.' Good grief, he was turning into Canute. 'Today, the fightback kicks up a gear!' Labour backbenchers ululated like bare-breasted Masai goatherds. Many of them named the precise number of children in their seats who would be receiving this free food. The numbers were big: most more than 5,000. Recently the Government provided free breakfasts to certain children in some schools. All we now need is for free suppers to be laid on, too, and canny parents will not have to spend a groat on feeding their offspring during term-time. And maybe in the holidays, too. Claire Young (Lib Dem, Thornbury & Yate) wanted the Government to end 'holiday hunger'. Vegan snorkers for all. Into every Eden a little rain must fall. Shockat Adam (Ind, Leicester S) was worried that these free lunches would consist of 'processed food like Turkey Twizzlers, which have been shown to reduce life expectancy'. Sonia Kumar (Lab, Dudley) slightly let the side down by noting that, despite Mr Morgan's artful depiction of the Dickensian kingdom of waifs that was left by the last government, modern Britain in fact has a problem with children being too fat. In some of the Labour contributions, delivered with simpering smiles and a la-di-dah manner, was there possibly a touch of the Lady Mucks? You could sense them patting their constituents on the backs and saying 'enjoy your gruel, rough mechanicals, you've deserved it'. The scented Lola McEvoy (Lab, Darlington), very much one of life's Club Class occupants, mentioned one of her constituents – 'a lovely mother who recently went back to work as a school dinner support worker'. Did she mean a dinner lady? Neil O'Brien, for the Conservatives, argued that the voters who will be receiving this largesse were the very people who would be paying for it, having been hit hardest by Rachel Reeves' national insurance increase. Not that any future Tory government (if there ever is such a thing) could easily remove these free lunches. Imagine the screams of 'starvation' and 'fascist' if they tried it.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'I spent half-term looking for somewhere for my family to live'
"I spent all of half-term looking for somewhere to live," says mother-of-three Shanice Aird. The 29-year-old from west London rejected her council's most recent temporary accommodation offer "an hour away" from her children's school. The Shared Health Foundation is urging the government to put in measures to stop children in temporary accommodation going "missing" from schools and GPs after widespread displacement of families across the country. The charity's new report calls for a notification system so that all authorities are aware when a child moves into temporary accommodation. The government says it is investing £1bn in homelessness services this year to help families trapped in temporary accommodation. Ms Aird was living in a secure tenancy flat in Ealing with her three children, aged three, five and seven, but was moved to temporary accommodation in Hounslow in 2021 after witnessing a stabbing. She is now being evicted from the two-bedroom property by the landlord, but says Ealing Council has only offered her unsuitable alternative accommodation, including one flat an hour away from her children's school. Ms Aird says she will soon be homeless and will have to "sofa surf with friends" after the council discharged her from their housing duty. "We haven't been able to do anything this half-term because I'm constantly on the phone to councils, emailing, trying to get as much help as I can," she says. She admits her children's attendance at school is "awful" as they do not have a permanent home. "It's really horrible because as a mum you want to try and provide as much safety and happiness as you can." Ms Aird says she needs to be close to family and friends to help with her mental health. "I have bipolar type 2 and tend to go into depressive episodes, if it's a really bad episode it leads to me not being aware of what I'm doing," she says. "I'm happy to move to another borough, as long as I've got some kind of family support network." Ealing Council said Ms Aird was recently made offers of "suitable properties both in and out of the borough within easy reach of her support networks", which she refused. "Because of her refusal of these property offers, the council have discharged her main housing duty, and we have made a referral to children services at Hounslow Council who may be able to support her under the Children's Act," it added. More than 164,000 homeless children are currently living in temporary accommodation across England, the highest number on record, figures show. Analysis of government data by homeless charity Shelter suggests there are almost 94,000 children in London living in temporary accommodation. As a result, families are being displaced with some Londoners being moved miles away due to a lack of permanent affordable housing in the capital, according to Alicia Walker, Shelter's assistant director for activism and advocacy. "We're sending children and families from London to Manchester, but Manchester has the very same problem, then the children and families in Manchester might be moved to means we've got a country of displaced people," she says. Dr Laura Neilson, founder of the Shared Health Foundation which co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on temporary accommodation, says they want to see children "still have access to education and healthcare" so they "get to live a much more normal childhood than these children are experiencing". "We are asking the government to be more curious about how many children are missing from education because of temporary accommodation," she adds. Felicity Afriyie has lived in temporary accommodation for 21 years with her three children aged 16, 19, and 20. In that time they have lived in more than 10 houses. Currently, they are living in a one-bedroom hostel in Lambeth, south London. In previous temporary accommodation, she says her children's journeys to school took two hours. The 53-year-old says it took so long to do the school run she "spent the whole day" waiting for her children to finish school. "Sometimes you see schoolchildren on the bus sleeping because they come from very far," she says. Her daughter Grace, 20, says: "One of our school journeys was two hours. "Doing that distance to school every day was awful. It's had a massive impact on our education. "You can't expect a 16 year old... that's moved houses more times than they can count to sit a set of exams that will change their life and expect them to perform as well as their more stable affluent counterparts. "It's not fair and it's not a level playing field." Grace says she has dropped out of university due to the stress of temporary accommodation. "Some of us are actually trying to get out of the system," she says. "We've grown up like this and we don't want the generation after us to be in the same position. We're never going to get out of the system when it's stacked against us." Lambeth Council says it had made a direct offer of suitable permanent accommodation to Ms Afriyie but she turned it down and requested a review. The review found that the permanent property proposed was suitable. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide temporary accommodation to anyone who qualifies as homeless. Adam Hug, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, is calling on the government to urgently increase the temporary accommodation subsidy in the upcoming Spending Review. "Frozen temporary accommodation subsidy rates have left councils to pick up more than £700m in temporary accommodation costs that they are unable to claim back from government." The government says the forthcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill aims to introduce better protections for all children and better join-up between children's social care, schools and other local services. Through the children not in school registers, there will be a single unique identifier for every child and a requirement for every council to have multi-agency child protection team. "Protecting vulnerable children falling through the cracks are at the heart of the forthcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which represents the single biggest piece of child protection legislation in a generation," a government spokesperson said. "We are also investing £1bn in homelessness services this year to help families trapped in temporary accommodation, driving up housing standards and delivering on our commitment to build more social and affordable homes." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to 'I kept pretending everything was normal' Temporary housing linked to deaths of at least 74 children Government must tackle temporary accommodation crisis, say MPs Shared Health Foundation
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Housing: Call to stop displaced children going 'missing' from schools
"I spent all of half-term looking for somewhere to live," says mother-of-three Shanice 29-year-old from west London rejected her council's most recent temporary accommodation offer "an hour away" from her children's Shared Health Foundation is urging the government to put in measures to stop children in temporary accommodation going "missing" from schools and GPs after widespread displacement of families across the country. The charity's new report calls for a notification system so that all authorities are aware when a child moves into temporary government says it is investing £1bn in homelessness services this year to help families trapped in temporary accommodation. 'My family will soon be homeless' Ms Aird was living in a secure tenancy flat in Ealing with her three children, aged three, five and seven, but was moved to temporary accommodation in Hounslow in 2021 after witnessing a stabbing. She is now being evicted from the two-bedroom property by the landlord, but says Ealing Council has only offered her unsuitable alternative accommodation, including one flat an hour away from her children's Aird says she will soon be homeless and will have to "sofa surf with friends" after the council discharged her from their housing duty."We haven't been able to do anything this half-term because I'm constantly on the phone to councils, emailing, trying to get as much help as I can," she admits her children's attendance at school is "awful" as they do not have a permanent home."It's really horrible because as a mum you want to try and provide as much safety and happiness as you can." Ms Aird says she needs to be close to family and friends to help with her mental health. "I have bipolar type 2 and tend to go into depressive episodes, if it's a really bad episode it leads to me not being aware of what I'm doing," she says."I'm happy to move to another borough, as long as I've got some kind of family support network."Ealing Council said Ms Aird was recently made offers of "suitable properties both in and out of the borough within easy reach of her support networks", which she refused."Because of her refusal of these property offers, the council have discharged her main housing duty, and we have made a referral to children services at Hounslow Council who may be able to support her under the Children's Act," it added. 'Normal childhood' More than 164,000 homeless children are currently living in temporary accommodation across England, the highest number on record, figures of government data by homeless charity Shelter suggests there are almost 94,000 children in London living in temporary a result, families are being displaced with some Londoners being moved miles away due to a lack of permanent affordable housing in the capital, according to Alicia Walker, Shelter's assistant director for activism and advocacy."We're sending children and families from London to Manchester, but Manchester has the very same problem, then the children and families in Manchester might be moved to means we've got a country of displaced people," she says. Dr Laura Neilson, founder of the Shared Health Foundation which co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on temporary accommodation, says they want to see children "still have access to education and healthcare" so they "get to live a much more normal childhood than these children are experiencing"."We are asking the government to be more curious about how many children are missing from education because of temporary accommodation," she adds. Felicity Afriyie has lived in temporary accommodation for 21 years with her three children aged 16, 19, and 20. In that time they have lived in more than 10 houses. Currently, they are living in a one-bedroom hostel in Lambeth, south previous temporary accommodation, she says her children's journeys to school took two 53-year-old says it took so long to do the school run she "spent the whole day" waiting for her children to finish school."Sometimes you see schoolchildren on the bus sleeping because they come from very far," she says. 'It's not a level playing field' Her daughter Grace, 20, says: "One of our school journeys was two hours. "Doing that distance to school every day was awful. It's had a massive impact on our education."You can't expect a 16 year old... that's moved houses more times than they can count to sit a set of exams that will change their life and expect them to perform as well as their more stable affluent counterparts. "It's not fair and it's not a level playing field."Grace says she has dropped out of university due to the stress of temporary accommodation."Some of us are actually trying to get out of the system," she says. "We've grown up like this and we don't want the generation after us to be in the same position. We're never going to get out of the system when it's stacked against us."Lambeth Council says it had made a direct offer of suitable permanent accommodation to Ms Afriyie but she turned it down and requested a review. The review found that the permanent property proposed was suitable. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide temporary accommodation to anyone who qualifies as Hug, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, is calling on the government to urgently increase the temporary accommodation subsidy in the upcoming Spending Review."Frozen temporary accommodation subsidy rates have left councils to pick up more than £700m in temporary accommodation costs that they are unable to claim back from government."The government says the forthcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill aims to introduce better protections for all children and better join-up between children's social care, schools and other local the children not in school registers, there will be a single unique identifier for every child and a requirement for every council to have multi-agency child protection team."Protecting vulnerable children falling through the cracks are at the heart of the forthcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which represents the single biggest piece of child protection legislation in a generation," a government spokesperson said."We are also investing £1bn in homelessness services this year to help families trapped in temporary accommodation, driving up housing standards and delivering on our commitment to build more social and affordable homes."
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Chiefs tell King Charles to remember his treaty obligations as he visits Ottawa
David Pratt delivers remarks after conceding to National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations-elect Cindy Woodhouse during the third day of the special chiefs assembly in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby OTTAWA — Dozens of First Nations leaders from across the country gathered in front of Parliament Hill today with a message for the King as he arrives in the city — respect your treaty partners. The leaders say they also want the federal Liberals to take action on reforming the child welfare system, protecting traditional lands and building infrastructure desperately needed in Indigenous communities. King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in Ottawa today to begin their first visit to Canada since the King's coronation two years ago. Parliament also opened and MPs voted to elect the new Speaker of the House of Commons. Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice Chief David Pratt says King Charles, and in turn Canada, should uphold and respect the treaty relationship they began with his ancestors. He says the relationship between First Nations and the Crown was not intended to be one-sided and that the Crown should not be dictating to them on how to live their lives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Chiefs tell King Charles to remember his treaty obligations as he visits Ottawa
David Pratt delivers remarks after conceding to National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations-elect Cindy Woodhouse during the third day of the special chiefs assembly in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby OTTAWA — Dozens of First Nations leaders from across the country gathered in front of Parliament Hill today with a message for the King as he arrives in the city — respect your treaty partners. The leaders say they also want the federal Liberals to take action on reforming the child welfare system, protecting traditional lands and building infrastructure desperately needed in Indigenous communities. King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in Ottawa today to begin their first visit to Canada since the King's coronation two years ago. Parliament also opened and MPs voted to elect the new Speaker of the House of Commons. Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice Chief David Pratt says King Charles, and in turn Canada, should uphold and respect the treaty relationship they began with his ancestors. He says the relationship between First Nations and the Crown was not intended to be one-sided and that the Crown should not be dictating to them on how to live their lives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
