Rashford wins U-turn on free meals

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an abrupt about-face yesterday and agreed to keep funding meals for poor students over the summer holidays after young football star Marcus Rashford demanded that his government not forget the needs of hungry children.

The Manchester United and England player had pressed the government not to stop a meal voucher programme at the end of the school term in July. The 22-year-old cited his own childhood experience of relying on free school lunches and food banks.

Rashford's campaign drew support from celebrities, opposition politicians, and even some members of Johnson's governing Conservatives.

Johnson initially resisted, but the government gave in yesterday and said it would continue to provide food vouchers over the six-week summer break to 1.3 million children in England from lower-income families who are eligible for free school meals.

Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, said "the prime minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation" because of the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown.

After the announcement, Rashford tweeted: "I don't even know what to say. Just look at what we can do when we come together, THIS is England in 2020."

Johnson said he had spoken to Rashford to congratulate and thank him.

"We have to understand the pressures families are under right now, and that's why we've responded as we have," Johnson said.

Letter to lawmakers

The athlete wrote an open letter to all of Britain's lawmakers on Sunday, describing how, as one of five children of a hard-working single mother, "we relied on breakfast clubs, free school meals, and the kind actions of neighbours and coaches".

"As a black man from a low-income family in Wythenshawe, Manchester, I could have been just another statistic," he wrote. "Instead, due to the selfless actions of my mum, my family, my neighbours, and my coaches, the only stats I'm associated with are goals, appearances and caps. I would be doing myself, my family and my community an injustice if I didn't stand here today with my voice and my platform and ask you for help."

When schools were shut down in March as part of a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, a food voucher programme was set up to help ensure children didn't go hungry. Vouchers worth 15 pounds ($19) were given to spend each week in supermarkets.