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Football star in UK forces Boris Johnson to U-turn on ending free school meal vouchers

An England football star has forced Boris Johnson to reverse his decision.

An England football star has forced Boris Johnson to reverse his decision to end free school meal vouchers to low income families over the summer.

Responding to the government’s U-turn, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford took to Twitter and said: "Just look at what we can do when we come together, THIS is England in 2020."

Rashford penned a heartfelt open letter calling on MPs to rethink their decision to end the scheme that provides free school meals for children from the poorest families, hit even harder during the coronavirus crisis.

The 22-year-old striker, who drew on personal experience of relying on free school meals and food banks growing up, has raised $40 million and urged the government to take its approach on rebooting the economy and extend it to protecting all vulnerable children across England.

"I encourage you to hear their pleas and find your humanity. Please reconsider your decision to cancel the food voucher scheme over the summer holiday period and guarantee the extension," he wrote.

After initial pushback from the Department for Education and a Twitter clash with a cabinet minister, Rashford gained widespread support not just from opposition parties but senior Tory MPs who joined a growing revolt to force the Prime Minister to provide free meal vouchers over the summer.

Today a spokesperson for Mr Johnson said "owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer".

He also said the Prime Minister welcomed Rashford’s contribution to the debate around poverty.

The vouchers for $30 a week will be made available to around 1.3 million children in England who are eligible for the scheme.

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