Sam Townend for Bristol North West

Bristol dinner ladies call for free school meals for all election pledge

On Thursday 1^st April a group of dinner ladies and catering staff from Sea Mills Primary School will gather with Sam Townend, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Bristol North West, to call for universal free school meals for primary schools to be included in every party’s manifesto.

Sam says, “Recent Government pilots of free school meals for all in primary schools in Durham and Newham have shown that universal free school meals have had a really beneficial effect in terms of eating habits, making children calmer and concentration levels higher and in bringing the school together.

If we are to take child obesity seriously this is one really good practical proposal to help the diets of all children in our schools.  We are arguing for all parties to include this proposal in their manifestos for the forthcoming election.  It is a shame that the Tories have, to date, rejected the proposal and the Lib Dems in Hull cancelled the pilot taking place there.”

Universal free school meals also achieve a sizeable efficiency saving.  The same amount of public funding stretches 10% further under a universal regime than it does under-means-testing, as a result of economies of scale.  This means that the total cost of a universal scheme would be modest. 

Sam spoke in favour of free schools meals for all on the platform at last year’s Labour Party Conference.

Rowena Hayward, a Bristol organiser for the GMB Union, says, “GMB members are spear- heading this campaign for free school meals because we see this an essential support for parents whilst enabling pupils to have access to a healthy balanced meal.  It would go a long way to helping our members in schools catering who are currently facing reductions in hours and who are in the main low paid part-time workers.