The PM faced pressure after Marcus Rashford’s campaign
Prime minister Boris Johnson made a surprising U-turn on Tuesday, as Number 10 announced that the government would extend free school meal vouchers until the end of the summer.
Johnson had been facing pressure from senior Conservative party politicians to reverse a decision not to extend the voucher scheme throughout the summer holidays.
“We should see the statement for what it is, the tactics of pure distraction.”
Labour leader @Keir_Starmer lays into Boris Johnson and thanks @MarcusRashford for his successful campaign on free school meals. pic.twitter.com/Ae29bukmqj
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) June 16, 2020
The vast majority of that pressure is down to a campaign headed by Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who has tirelessly campaigned for the government to prolong the scheme beyond its initial expiry in July.
Having initially had a request to MPs rejected by Johnson, Rashford’s persistence paid off on Tuesday afternoon after it was announced that the scheme would keep going until September, when it is hoped schools will be functioning normally.
Rashford has been praised by a variety of figures, from Labour party leader Keir Starmer, to Manchester United’s bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.
.@MarcusRashford asked MPs to #maketheUturn. Today they obliged.
The man is a hero 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/foXJfKkxXV
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) June 16, 2020
