People left empty plates with messages about hungry children outside a local Tory headquarters after their MP voted against providing free school meals for children over the school holidays.
The issue of free school meals has been cast into mainstream conversation in recent months, thanks in no small part to the activism of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who has been a vocal proponent for tackling child food poverty.
Southend West MP Sir David Amess was one of the 322 Tories who voted against the Labour Party motion to provide free school meals for children during the half-term break and Christmas holidays.
His constituents left symbolic empty plates outside the local party headquarters and Conservative Club. The plates and posters had messages written on them including: ‘No child should go hungry’, ‘Tories for the few not the many’ and ‘lunch is not a luxury’.
The protests were just the latest example of public outrage at the Tories apparent willingness to allow the country’s most vulnerable children to go hungry, while they themselves are the recipients of taxpayer subsidies on their own meals at work.
Earlier this week a petition was launched to end the subsidisation of MPs meals, which reportedly costs the taxpayer £57,000 per week.
End subsidised food and alcohol in Parliament and the LordsIt now costs the British taxpayer more than £6 million pounds per annum to supply public servants with subsidised food and alcohol. Given the recent MP salary increase to £74000 (before expenses), it’s not unreasonable to expect that they pay for subsistence in the same way the majority of other workers do. The average wage in the UK is £26000 – £74000 pa from the public purse is quite enough. Equality with other workers!
Here is the petition if you wish to add your name: LINK
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