Bosses profit out of 'starvation' food parcels

School food (Click to enlarge)

Lindsey Morgan, Leicester Socialist Party

Private companies were exposed earning Ł30 for 'starvation' food parcels - for families entitled to free school meals - that contained just north of a fiver's worth of ingredients. So the U-turn Tories have returned to using the voucher system, run by private company Edenred.

When I got the email from the school to let me know about the voucher, my first thought was: "At least it isn't the terrible food parcels".

But neither I, nor any other parent, should have to settle for the humiliation of vouchers, or not receiving support at all over February half-term.

Schools have been told not to provide vouchers for that week, and that parents should apply to councils for the Covid Winter Support Scheme. This is despite council after council saying they have no more of these funds left.

With every voucher I get an email reminding me to only spend the vouchers on food and groceries. Parents need this reminder, apparently, because of the swathes of drug dealers and pimps that accept Asda vouchers! The contempt that the Tories have for working-class families fills me with rage.

Can't claim

The threshold for not receiving free school meals is only Ł7,400. Thousands of low-paid parents, impoverished with crap wages due to the bosses' greed, are not entitled to claim.

Some low-paid parents are resentful that some get free school meals when they don't. All students should be entitled to free school meals, including if their parents are working.

I don't want to have to rely on vouchers. I don't want to struggle financially. But this has been forced on me by illness and benefits that are far too low.

Instead of giving us vouchers, put the cash in our child benefit. Let us use the money to be able to budget properly, and make value-for-money healthy meals for our children.

The working class needs to go on the offensive, and fight against job losses and for a Ł12-an-hour minimum wage.

The top 1% are Ł800 billion richer than we previously thought. They have the money, they have the profits. Increase our wages, and it should be work or 100% pay for everyone - including parents having to isolate or home-educate their children.

We're sick of waiting for the Tories to do the right thing. And we're sick of waiting for Keir Starmer's Labour to provide any opposition.

We need to fight for a new mass workers' party to fight against it all and for the socialist transformation of society.

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